Which king created the united kingdom of Israel and Judah. Brief overview of the history of the kingdom of Israel (930–722 BC)

Israel flag

The flag is a white rectangular panel with two horizontal blue stripes along the edges and a Star of David in the center.

The Israeli flag symbolizes the state from the Nile to the Euphrates: the lower stripe is the bank of the Nile River, the upper stripe is the bank of the Euphrates River, and the Star of David is Jerusalem.

Star of David

Star of David (Hebrew: Magen David, “Shield of David”; pronounced mogendovid in Yiddish) - ancient symbol, an emblem in the shape of a six-pointed star (hexagram), in which two identical equilateral triangles (one pointing up, the other pointing down) are superimposed on each other, forming a structure of six identical equilateral triangles attached to the sides of a regular hexagon. There are different versions of the origin of the name of the symbol, from those connecting it with the legend about the shape of the shields of King David’s warriors to those elevating it to the name of the false messiah David Alroy or a Talmudic phrase denoting the God of Israel. Another version of it is known as the “Seal of King Solomon.”

Seal of King Solomon

The Seal of King Solomon is a symbol of two superimposed equilateral triangles (the Star of David), placed on the legendary signet ring of King Solomon, which gave him power over genies and the ability to speak with animals.

Coat of arms of Jerusalem

The heraldic shield has an English shape with a blue outline. The entire shield features the Western Wall and the figure of a lion. There are olive branches on the sides of the shield. The name of the city is written in Hebrew above the coat of arms. The lion symbolizes the race of Judah, the olive branches symbolize the world, Blue colour symbolizes Judaism.

Modern reconstruction of the seal of King Solomon

The Seal of Solomon is a symbol representing a six-pointed star. The Seal of Solomon also has other names: the shield of Solomon, the star of David. According to legend, this seal was engraved on the famous ring of King Solomon, with which he could control hordes of demons.

The history of the Jerusalem Temple is full of legends: scientists still cannot come to a consensus. It is believed that Solomon began construction 4 years after his accession. Hiram, the king of Tire and Byblos, sent him the experienced architect Hiram Abiff, skilled carpenters and artisans to help him. They worked on the building for 7 years - according to some sources, more than 150 thousand people participated in the construction. In 950, work on the temple was completed, and a year later it was consecrated. Was arranged greatest holiday, which lasted 14 days. The Ark of the Covenant was installed in the Holy of Holies. (A special place in the temple where the Foundation Stone or the so-called Cornerstone was located. It is believed that it was from this place that God began the creation of the world. Now the Muslim Dome of the Rock is located above this stone). Solomon publicly read the prayer.

The Jerusalem Temple was part of the palace complex. Not far from it there was a large palace, where a separate entrance led from the temple. Nearby were also the summer palace of Solomon himself and the palace of his wife, the daughter of the Egyptian pharaoh.

Kingdom of Israel
Hebrew ‏‏‎
Section is under development

Tribes of Israel

When first listing the tribes, the Bible names them after the 12 sons of Jacob. Jacob had two wives - Leah, Rachel, and the wives' maidservants - Bilhah (Bilha) and Zilpah (Zilpah).

Leah's sons: Reuben (Reuven), Simeon (Shimon), Levi (Levi), Judah (Yehuda), Issachar, Zebulun (Zebulun). Rachel's sons: Joseph (Yosef), Benjamin (Binyamin). Sons of Bilha (Bilhi): Dan, Naphtali (Naptali). Sons of Zilpah (Zilpah): Gad, Asher (Asher)

Joseph had two sons: Manasseh (Menashe) and Ephraim (Ephraim), whom Jacob elevated to the ancestors of two independent tribes instead of their father Joseph, which increased the number of tribes to 13.

Lists of the tribes of Israel in the Bible do not list the tribe of Joseph as independent, connecting it only with Ephraim and Manasseh. Reservations are also made throughout to exclude the tribe of Levi as dedicated to the service of God. Thus, it is not included in the count of combat-ready men, its place in the order of the tribes during transitions on the way to Canaan is not indicated; it does not receive an inheritance in the Promised Land and in Transjordan. The tribe of Levi, deprived of its land allotment, is actually not included in the overall count, and its separation from the community of tribes to perform only the functions permitted to it restores the original number of twelve tribes of Israel. Precepts concerning the number of tribes without listing them also indicate 12 as their traditional number. Thus, there are 2 possible interpretations of the 12 tribes of Israel: the above 14 with the exception of either Levi and Joseph or the sons of Joseph.

In the Promised Land, each tribe received its own portion.

After the death of King Solomon in 928 BC, the united kingdom of Israel split into two kingdoms: Judah in the south (the lands of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin) and Israel in the north (the territory inhabited by the remaining ten tribes).

In 732-722 BC. The kingdom of Israel was captured by Assyria; most of its population was taken captive and settled in small groups in various regions of this huge power. Thus began the first Jewish Diaspora. The bulk of the Israelites were gradually assimilated by the peoples among whom they lived.

During the era of the Second Temple, most Jewish families, apparently, could no longer prove their belonging to one or another tribe.

According to the New Testament, John the Baptist was of a priestly family, a certain prophetess Anna came from the tribe of Asher, and the Apostle Paul from Tarsus came from the tribe of Benjamin. The number of apostles of the Christian church - twelve - is symbolic and is associated with the number of the sons of Jacob and, accordingly, the tribes of Israel.

Today, the consciousness of tribal involvement has been preserved only among the descendants of the tribe of Levi (Levites), some of whom (Cohanim) even preserve the memory of their origin from the clan of Aaron.

Exodus

According to the Bible, the shepherd family of Jacob-Israel, the progenitor of the Jews, left Canaan as a result of famine and moved to Egypt, settling in the land of Goshen, thanks to the fact that his son Joseph the Beautiful became an adviser to the pharaoh and became related to the local aristocracy.

According to the Bible, the Israelites stayed in Egypt for 400 years, or 430 years.

Over time, the number of Israelis increased significantly, exceeding the number of Egyptians. The new pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, fearing military clashes with the Israelites, ordered the Israelites to be exhausted with hard work in order to curb the growth of their numbers.

When Pharaoh saw that the measures he had taken were not able to weaken the young people, he ordered the killing of the boys born from the Israelite tribe. At this time, the future leader and liberator of the Jewish people, Moses, was born.

Moses' mother Jochebed (Yokheved), in order to save him from murder, put her three-month-old son in a tarred basket and set her on the waters of the Nile under the supervision of her daughter. The baby was found by the pharaoh's daughter and taken into her home.

When Moses grew up and found himself among the Israelites, he saw an Egyptian overseer severely punishing an Israelite. Moses killed the Egyptian and fled Egypt for fear of retaliation. He settled in the land of the Midianites, married the daughter of a Midian priest, and tended his father-in-law's cattle.

One day, when Moses was tending a flock near a mountain, God appeared to him in a burning but unburnt bush (the burning bush) and ordered him to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery and move to Canaan, as promised to the forefathers.

At the age of 80, Moses returns to Egypt and demands that Pharaoh release the Israelites, but Pharaoh refuses. Then God sends ten plagues on Egypt (Ten Plagues of Egypt). It is only after the tenth plague, which results in the death of all the Egyptians' firstborn children and firstborn livestock, that Pharaoh insists that the Israelites leave Egypt. According to Exodus, the ten plagues did not affect the Israelites. In the case of the last execution, the angel of death "passed" the houses of the Jews, which were marked with the blood of the sacrificial lamb.

After collecting valuables from the Egyptians, the Israelites, among 600,000 men, left Egypt. Meanwhile, Pharaoh changed his mind and chased the Israelites with his army, hoping to enslave them again. Pharaoh's army overtook the Jews by the sea of ​​reeds. By the will of God, the waters of the sea parted, and the Israelites walked along the bottom, after which the waters closed, destroying the army of the Egyptians.

After three months of trekking through the desert, the Israelites reached Mount Sinai. Here the Israelites witnessed a theophany, and Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on the mountaintop. The mountain was also where a covenant was made between God and the Israelites. There, by the will of God, the Tabernacle (camp Temple) was built, men from the tribe of Levi (Levites) were appointed priests. Moses' brother Aaron became high priest.

For a year, the Israelites lived at Mount Sinai. During this period, a census was taken, according to which there were 603,550 men capable of fighting among the Israelites.

From Sinai, the Israelites headed to Canaan through the Paran desert. Having reached the borders of Canaan, they sent twelve spies to the promised land. Ten of them, having returned, expressed doubts about the possibility of conquering Canaan. The people, doubting God's promise to ensure victory over the Canaanites, began to grumble. For this, God doomed the Jews to wander in the desert for forty years, so that during this time everyone who was slaves in Egypt, including Moses, would die.

Forty years later, the Israelites rounded Moab from the east and defeated the Amorites in battle. After this victory, they reached the banks of the Jordan near Mount Nebo. Moses died here, appointing Joshua as his successor (1272-1244 BC).

First, the Jews, led by Joshua, attack Jericho. For seven days, their troops march around the city walls, led by priests carrying the ark of the covenant. On the seventh day, the army marched around the city seven times, accompanied by priests playing trumpets. At a certain moment, Jesus orders all the people to shout at the same time, and immediately the walls of the city fall of their own accord.

After this, Jesus orders the entire population of Jericho to be exterminated, including women, old people, children and livestock. Only the harlot Rahab and her relatives were spared because Rahab had previously sheltered Jewish spies who had entered the city. Jericho itself was completely burned.

Further, having entered the Promised Land, he defeated several Canaanite tribes in a number of battles, despite the fact that they sometimes opposed him in entire coalitions. Jesus captured the city of Ai and completely destroyed its population, just as in Jericho. Five kings - Jerusalem, Hebron, Jerusalem, Lachish and Eglon - united against the Israelites. However, Jesus managed to defeat them. God took part in the battle on his side, throwing stones from the sky at the enemy army. All the inhabitants of these cities were completely exterminated. The king of Gazer came to the aid of the king of Lachish, but the Israelites gained the upper hand and completely destroyed his people. The same fate befell all the inhabitants of the cities of Eglon and Hebron.

After the conquest and division of the earth, Jesus died peacefully and was buried on Mount Ephraim.

Age of Judges 1244-1040 BC

The Age of Judges covers the period of biblical history from the death of Joshua to the destruction of the tabernacle of the covenant at Shiloh, which corresponds to the late Bronze Age.

Despite the "legal" name, this era can be called troubled times, characterized by outbreaks of inter-tribal and inter-ethnic violence: "when he had no king and when everyone did what seemed fair to him." At this time, the Israelites (descendants of Jacob) split into 12 tribes, symbolically united around the religion of their ancestors and the awareness of their blood kinship, which did not interfere with such excesses of tribalism as the massacre of the tribe of Ephraim and the tribe of Benjamin, during which up to 92 thousand Israelis died (42 thousand . Ephraimites, 25 thousand sons of Benjamin and 22 thousand warriors of the Israeli militia). The total number of Israelis capable of war at that time numbered 400 thousand people. It is noteworthy that previously the total number of Israelites who left Egypt under Moses was 600 thousand people.

During the era of the Judges, some of the Israelis continued to lead a nomadic lifestyle, while others began to settle down. Residents of Judean Bethlehem, for example, grew barley and wheat.

The symbolic authorities of the Israelis at this time were the judges (shoftim), to whom they came “for judgment.” The judges were active bearers of Israeli identity and therefore fiercely resisted the tendencies of assimilation of the Israelis among the local population: Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites and Jebusites. This was also manifested in the fact that the judges led the Israeli militia and called for the destruction of the sanctuaries of local peoples (the temples of Baal and Ashtoreth). The judge could be a prophet (Samuel), the leader of a band of robbers (Jephthah), or a woman (Deborah). At the same time, they all actively performed judicial functions, which made it possible to raise the question that the philosophy of law, as well as the modern doctrine of separation of powers, has its origins in the Old Testament.

The subsequent establishment of the Israelite monarchy through Judge Samuel demonstrates what the judges did not have: a regular army, universal taxation and real executive power. The moral authority of judges did not always correspond to their popularity. They did not disdain murder and fornication (Samson), as well as bribery (Samuel’s sons Joel and Abijah), although in general their power was based either on high moral authority or on military force, since both of them made it possible to carry out their orders. court decisions, especially in cases of litigation between representatives of different tribes.

United Kingdom of Israel 1040-928 BC

The history of the kingdom of Israel begins with the elevation of Saul to royal dignity by the high priest and prophet Samuel - the anointing of Saul as the first king of Israel. As the books of Kings testify, Saul was not long a faithful servant of God. In particular, through Samuel, God commanded Saul to punish the Amalekites and, among other things, to put the king of the Amalekites to death and to destroy all the Amalekites' livestock. But Saul did not fully comply with God's command. The king of the Amalekites was captured, but not killed, and the Amalekites' livestock was declared a war trophy. Another time, Saul arbitrarily made a burnt offering without waiting for the high priest - in in this case the prophet Samuel, who was delayed on the way to Saul's military camp. As a result, Samuel was ordered by God to anoint young David, who was at that time tending his father’s flocks, to the kingdom.

After David's victory over Goliath, which predetermined the victory of the Israeli army over the Philistines, as well as after a number of other successful military actions against the Philistines, David's popularity soars. Saul was in a panic, afraid that David would take the king's throne from him. As a result, the Kingdom of Israel actually experienced the first (but not the last) civil war. Saul's reign ended with the defeat of his army by the Philistines, his son died in battle, and Saul himself committed suicide for fear of being taken prisoner.

The period of the reigns of David and Solomon (1010-928) is the golden age of the Kingdom of Israel. In 1010, David moved the capital to Jerusalem and significantly expanded the city. According to the description from the Book of Kings, David's kingdom extended from the banks of the Euphrates to Gaza. But his reign was not without clouds. In particular, a new civil war broke out. David was opposed by his son Absalom, who illegally claimed the royal throne. As a result of this war, Absalom was killed by David's servants, contrary to the king's orders. However, Israel under David's leadership is very successful in waging war against external enemies. There is also extensive construction going on, including in Jerusalem.

Solomon, the son and successor of David on the throne of Israel, is described as the wisest of kings and as the builder of the Temple of Jerusalem. Solomon was able to develop David's foreign and domestic political achievements. Actually, during the reign of Solomon, the kingdom of Israel was at the zenith of its power.

Separation

The death of Solomon (928) practically put an end to the history of the Kingdom of Israel as a single state. His son Rehoboam ascends to the royal throne. But he pursues an overly harsh repressive domestic policy. The ten tribes of Israel did not recognize his authority over themselves and united under the rule of Jeroboam I, forming the Northern (Israel) Kingdom in the northern part of the previously unified Kingdom of Israel. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin remained loyal to the House of David and formed the Southern Kingdom with its center in Jerusalem, later known as the Kingdom of Judah.

Period of the Northern (Israelite) Kingdom 928-721 BC

After the death of King Solomon in 928 BC, the united kingdom of Israel was divided. Ten tribes formed the Northern Kingdom, which was called Israel. The capital of the Northern Kingdom of Israel became Shechem, then Tirzah (Tirzah) and finally Samaria (Sebastia, Shomron). According to the Old Testament, the kings of the northern Israeli state retreated from monotheistic service to the One God of Israel, first erecting temples with golden statues of calves in the cities of Bethel and Dan, and then even worshiped the deities of the Phoenician cult. From a biblical perspective, neither of them was a “godly king.”

In the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the ruling dynasties changed repeatedly as a result of coups d'etat; the Yehu (Jehu) dynasty ruled the longest. In 721 BC, the Northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrian king Sargon II. A significant part of the kingdom's population was taken into Assyrian captivity and settled in small groups in various regions of this huge power. Thus began the first Jewish Diaspora. The bulk of the Israelites were gradually assimilated by the peoples among whom they lived.

Assyrian captivity, or Assyrian exile

A period in the history of the people of Israel, during which several thousand Israelites from ancient Samaria were driven away to Assyria and its provinces. The Northern Kingdom of Israel was defeated by the Assyrian kings Tiglath-pileser III and Shalmaneser V. The siege of Samaria was completed in 721 BC by the next ruler of Assyria, Sargon II, thus finally destroying the Northern Kingdom, which summed up its twenty-two-year decline.

According to Assyrian cuneiform sources from Dur-Sharrukin, 27,290 captives were deported from Samaria.

Unlike later exiles from the Kingdom of Judah who were able to return from captivity in Babylon, the 10 tribes of the Northern Kingdom were not allowed to return to their homeland. Many centuries later, the rabbis of restored Judea continued to debate the fate of the lost tribes.

Israel [Israel]

Legendary patriarchs of the Jews (habiru)

Shoftim [judges] of the Jews in Canaan (Palestine)

Anointed priests, or high priests of the Tabernacle of Meeting [the Jewish camp temple]

Kings of the Kingdom of Israel 1040 - 928

Kings of the Northern, or Kingdom of Israel 928 - 721

The Kingdom of Israel after the collapse of the united Jewish state

Solomon died in 928 (Bickerman 1975, 192; Tadmor 1981, 134) or 926 BC. e. (Weippert 1988, 580). His son Rehoboam, born to the Ammonite princess Naamah, became the heir. But he could not reign peacefully. After a short message about the death of Solomon and the accession of Rehoboam, the biblical author writes about the meeting of all Israelites in Shechem to proclaim a new king (I Reg,. 11, 43-12, 1). Shechem was located on the territory of the tribe of Ephraim (Ephraim), and this alone was a sign of distrust of the king from the tribe of Judah, who was apparently suspected of special patronage of this particular tribe, as it was under his father. Subsequent events show that there were no Jews at this meeting. Probably, the act of Rehoboam’s accession to the throne, which took place in Jerusalem, was not recognized by other tribes and, convening a national assembly, demanded that Rehoboam come there, which he had to do. Of course, it is difficult to imagine that all the adult men of the non-Jewish tribes came to Shechem, but the Bible emphasizes that it was precisely a national assembly (“qahal”), so it is clear that not only the tribal elders and tribal aristocracy gathered here, but also representatives the wider population (Malamat, 1965, 37 - 38). The choice of Shechem was clearly not accidental. As noted, during the time of the Israelites' settlement in Palestine and during the time of the judges, the city was a significant religious and political center and was also associated with the traditions of the patriarchs (Campbell and Ross 1962, 3-4). By choosing Shechem to convene the assembly, the Israelites emphasized their adherence to the pre-monarchical tradition and their desire, if not to return to earlier times, then, in any case, to eliminate the excessive claims of the monarchy.

At the meeting, Rehoboam was given an ultimatum. They demanded that he reduce his labor obligation (apparently, involve him less in emergency situations) and reduce taxes, after which they promised to recognize him as tsar. The talk was clearly about concluding an agreement with the king, as was the case under the first two monarchs. Solomon, who came to power essentially as a result of a coup d'etat, did without such a treaty, but now the situation was different. Dissatisfied with their plight and discrimination compared to the Jews, members of other tribes tried to change the situation with the help of an ancient treaty. In doing so, they apparently relied on ancient custom, according to which the new king issued an “act of mercy”, as the Babylonian kings did, reducing taxes and forgiving arrears upon his accession to the throne (Taclmor, 1981, 135; Mitchell, 1982, 453). However, Rehoboam, after some hesitation, refused to compromise. At the same time, the “elders,” i.e., representatives of the old tribal tradition and previous political institutions, persuaded the king to yield, while persons in to a greater extent associated with the royal court, insisted on refusing concessions (Malamat, 1965, 41-47). Rehoboam followed the latter's advice, and the assembly refused to recognize him as king.

Rehoboam realized his mistake and nevertheless tried to reach an agreement with the renegade tribes. He sent Adoranim to them for some negotiations. But this was clearly the wrong figure, for it was this man, who was responsible for collecting taxes, who appeared to the people as the main culprit for their difficult situation. Adoranim was stoned and died, and Rehoboam had to flee from Shechem. Jeroboam, who by this time had returned from Egypt, was called in his place. A new assembly was convened, which proclaimed him king. This clearly shows that the new pharaoh was largely behind all the events (Malamat 1965, 60). Only the Benjamites refused to follow the others and submitted to Rehoboam (I Reg., 12, 1-20). The united kingdom fell apart. The northern kingdom retained the ancient common tribal name “Israel,” which became the official name of the state. The southern kingdom, after the name of the largest of the remaining two tribes, began to be called Judah, or Judah (Israel. 1995, 39-41).

At first, Rehoboam tried to take measures to restore his power in the north. It is difficult to say why he did not turn to his father’s professional army, which, it would seem, was intended precisely for such cases. But the king chose to convene the militia. However, he still did not start a war. Apparently, it was clear that Shoshenq stood behind Jeroboam, and the king of Jerusalem did not dare to enter into conflict with the pharaoh (Tadmor, 1981, 136). By abandoning the attempt to suppress the rebellion, Rehoboam effectively accepted the division of the kingdom.

The resulting two new states were much weaker than the one, which is what the pharaoh sought. Four years after the partition, he undertook a campaign in Asia. It is difficult to judge the scale of this enterprise. Shoshenq’s claim to impose tribute on all of Syria hardly corresponds to historical reality (ANET, pp. 263-264). The Bible speaks only of his capture of Jerusalem and the plunder of the temple and palace (I Reg., 14, 25-26). In the list of cities captured by Shoshenq, placed on the wall of the Temple of Amun in Thebes, a large number of them are named; judging by this list, Shoshenq passed through both Judah and Israel (ANET, pp. 242-243). This is confirmed by archaeological data: many cities were destroyed, and in Megiddo the victorious pharaoh erected his victory stele (Weippert, 1988,425-426; Kempinski, 1989, 13, 95). Shoshenq failed to achieve his main goal - the restoration of Egyptian dominance in Asia, because Egypt did not have the strength for this, and Shoshenq himself died soon after his campaign (Perepelkin, 2000, 394).

The formation of two separate states instead of a single one required a certain restructuring of political and even religious structures. The new states were very different. The northern one, Israel, was much larger than Judah in size and population, and included Israelites from ten tribes (I Reg., 11, 30). It was located at the intersection of the most important trade routes, and the most significant cities, which were craft and trade centers, came under the rule of the northern king, which led, on the one hand, to more accelerated economic development, and on the other, to an increasing social differentiation of society. But the same circumstances made Israeli society less cohesive and, as a result, more conflict-ridden.

In the north, Jeroboam came to power based on conservative forces who sought to restore the “good old morals”, and had to take these aspirations into account (Tadmor. 1981. 144). It is difficult to say whether he retained the administrative districts created by Solomon. But taxes were clearly reduced. The Israeli kings had to essentially re-create the state. Jeroboam's son Nebat fought with the Philistines at the head of “all the Israelites” (I Reg.. 1 5. 27), i.e., a national militia. On the other hand, a little later the commander of half the chariots is mentioned (I Reg., 16, 9), and this already indicates the existence of some kind of professional army. Apparently, the role of the militia in the northern kingdom grew, but along with it a professional army was created.

Of the other officials of Israel, the head of the royal palace is mentioned (I Reg., 16, 9). This man was quite close to the king, since he feasted in his house. The same position existed at the court of Solomon. Unfortunately, other details of the activities of the highest state apparatus in Israel have not reached us. But even from this fragmentary information it can be judged that he probably copied the apparatus of a single kingdom, although, perhaps, on a smaller scale. Since Jeroboam reigned for quite a long time - 22 years, it can be assumed that the foundations of government in Israel were laid by him.

Ahijah, who at one time called Jeroboam to oppose Solomon, and Jeroboam himself came from the tribe of Ephraim. On the territory of this tribe was Shechem, where the division of the kingdom took place. During the conquest and settlement of Palestine by the Jews, the tribe of Ephraim found itself in a favorable position. In the last years of the "Judges" it played a leading role in the religious and political life of the Israelite union, and therefore, in the course of the creation of a unified kingdom by David, and especially Solomon, it clearly felt disadvantaged (Mitchell, 1982, 452). At first, this tribe became the main support of Jeroboam, which was expressed in his recognition of Shechem as his first capital. It is not for nothing that later the prophets sometimes called the northern kingdom not Israel, but Ephraim (Jes., 11, 13; Jer., 31, 20; Ez. 19; Hos. 6, 10). However, Jeroboam avoided the mistake of Solomon, who so defiantly patronized his native tribe of Judah. After some time, Jeroboam (apparently having strengthened himself) moved his residence to Tirzah, located, as it seems, in the territory of the tribe of Manasseh (I Reg., 14, 17). He is credited with the construction (more precisely, reconstruction) of the city of Penuel in Transjordan (I Reg., 12, 25), located on an important trade route (Mitchell, 1982, 457), which for some time was also probably his capital. Jeroboam clearly sought to free himself from the control of any one tribe, even his own. Perhaps it was precisely this desire that became the reason for the sharp opposition to him on the part of the same prophet Ahijah, apparently expressing the opinion of the most conservative part of Israeli society, whose hopes for the restoration of the old order Jeroboam clearly did not justify. In addition, relations between the king and the prophet in the religious sphere apparently worsened.

To strengthen his state and liberate himself from the religious authority of Jerusalem, Jeroboam used old ideas. For this, on his orders, two golden statues of calves were cast and placed one in Bethel, the other in Dan, i.e. on the southern and northern borders of Israel (Rouillard-Bonraisin, 1995,60). In Semitic religions, the bull has long been a symbol of the highest god who patronizes a given community. In Ugaritic legends, Balu-Tsapana, the main god of Ugarit, often appears in the form of a bull, and his sister and beloved Anatu appears in the form of a heifer. Philo of Byblos (fr. I, 31) attributes the head of a bull to the Phoenician Astarte as a sign of her royal power. The cult of the bull as the embodiment of divine power was not alien to Jews before the establishment of monotheism. This is evidenced by the famous episode with the “golden calf” (Ex., 32, 1-8). If you believe this story, then Aaron assured those gathered that the calf he made was the God who led Israel out of Egypt, i.e. the same Yahweh. Apparently, this corresponded to some very ancient ideas about the incarnation of God in the form of a bull. So Jeroboam’s act was not some extraordinary innovation, but rather an appeal to the most ancient layer religious performances. There was no such image of God in the Jerusalem temple. This means that the construction of golden statues of bulls was a sign of a break with the Jerusalem priesthood and an expression of the creation of their own cult, most likely of the same Yahweh, but in accordance with other (obviously much more ancient) ideas. So the break with Judea became not only political, but also religious. This break was also confirmed by the establishment of a religious holiday at a different time than in Judah, and the recruitment of priests for the sanctuaries at Bethel and Dan from outside the traditional tribe of Levites, who were probably too associated with Jerusalem Temple, and from other tribes (I Reg., 12, 31 - 33) - Perhaps this also corresponded to the ancient ideas of the northern tribes (Tadmor, 1981, 145).

The election of Bethel and Dan, which stood on the borders of the state, as the main sanctuaries of Israel, corresponded to the political goals of Jeroboam, but could cause discontent among the priesthood of Shiloh. This ancient cult center had lost its significance after its capture by the Philistines and the construction of the temple in Jerusalem and now hoped to restore its former role in the new state. The spokesman for his interests was, apparently, Ahijah, who took a sharply negative position towards Jeroboam and his house (Caquot, 19b1, 26).

The collapse of the unified kingdom led to the loss of control over other territories by the Jewish states. All of David's conquests were lost. Moreover, the Philistines, who, it would seem, were no longer able to claim hegemony in Palestine, launched a new offensive and captured the city of Gibeon. The Israeli king Nebat, the son of Jeroboam, appeared under its walls with an Israeli militia. But during the siege, a certain Baasha (Baasha) from the tribe of Issachar killed him and proclaimed himself king, and then captured the capital and destroyed all the relatives of his predecessor (I Reg., 15, 27-30). This was the first bloody coup in the history of the newly formed kingdom, but far from the last. What was the further fate of Gibeon is unknown. But many years after the coup, the Israelis were still besieging this city (I Reg., 16.15). It is difficult to imagine that the siege lasted so long; Baasha probably left the walls of Gibeon after seizing power, but since the importance of this city was too great for the Israelites, they later renewed their attempt to take it.

For Baasha, the confrontation with Judea turned out to be more important. On the road that connected Judea with the rest of the world, not far from Jerusalem itself, he began to build the Ramah fortress, which actually led to a blockade of Judea. And the Jewish king Asa, not having the strength to cope with the enemy on his own, turned for help to the king of the Aramaic state Aram Bar-Hadad, sending him rich gifts and asking him to break the alliance with Israel and enter into an alliance with Judah. The offerings did their job. Bar-Hadad's army invaded Israel from the north and captured the entire northern part of Galilee (I Reg. 15, 17-20). The Jews, taking advantage of this, not only lifted the blockade from their country, but also, having captured Rama, destroyed what the Israelites had managed to build (Parker, 1996, 219). However, Judea could cope with Israel and secure its northern borders only with the help of Aram, which clearly indicates its powerlessness, and the alliance, most likely, simply covered up Judea’s recognition of the supremacy of Aram (Gelzer, 1958, 71).

And Israel, shortly after the war with Aram, plunged into civil strife. The commander of Baasha's son King Ela (Ila) Zimri (Zamri) plotted and killed the king in the second year of his reign. But the army, which at that time was at war with the Philistines, refused to recognize him and besieged the Israeli capital of Tirzah. Zimri was forced to commit suicide after reigning for only seven days, and after this the Israeli army itself was divided. That part of it that continued the siege of Philistine Gibeon nominated its commander Omri (Omri) as a contender for the throne, and the other - Timni (Tamni). This actual split of the country and the confrontation between its two parts lasted four years, and only after the death or murder of Timni Omri was recognized as the king of all Israel (I Sam., 16, 8-23). The Bible is silent about which part of the Israeli army supported Timni, but most likely that which was located in the north and opposed to Aram (Tadmor, 1981, 147). This gives reason to conclude that the war with its northern neighbor did not end after the loss of a number of Galilean cities.

With Omri's rise to power, a smart, strong, energetic ruler found himself on the Israeli throne (Mitchell 1982, 466). Apparently, he was inspired by the example of David, who was also a military commander, but managed to create a powerful power and become king. An important act of Omri was the construction of a new capital. After six years of reigning in Tirez, he bought Mount Samaria (Shomron), on which he built a city of the same name (I Reg. 16, 23-24). According to legend, its name resembles the name of the previous owner of the mountain, but this message is rightly regarded by researchers as “folk etymology”; it is more likely that there was previously a village here, the name of which was inherited by the city (Tadmor, 1981, 149-150). Finds of pottery prove that there was indeed a small settlement on the mountain (Weippert 1988, 514-516; Herr 1997, 137). Apparently, in this enterprise, Omri followed the example of David. But the main thing was different. All the former capitals of Israel, including Tirzah, which remained in this capacity the longest, were old cities, with their own traditions and connections. By creating a completely new capital, Omri was freed from the legacy of antiquity and could act more freely, without really looking back at customs. Although Samaria was within the territory of Issachar's tribe, the purchase of the land on which it was built made it the king's personal domain.

The choice of location for the new capital was not accidental. It was located on a fairly high mountain, standing between the mountainous country of the north and the lower highlands of the south, thereby connecting different regions of the kingdom. From the western end of the mountain, even the Mediterranean Sea was visible (Weippert, 1988, 535). Equally important, the location was very convenient for trade with the Phoenician coast (Mitchell 1982, 467).

Again, like David and Solomon, Omri sought to establish allied relations with Tire, whose king, Itobaal, also came to power as a result of a coup (Ios. Contra Ar. I, 18). And he achieved it. An alliance was concluded between Tire and Israel, sealed by the marriage of Itobaal's daughter Jezebel with Omri's son Ahab (Tadmor, 1981, 149). When Ahab became king, Jezebel played a huge role in the Israelite court. The political union was reflected in the religious sphere by the spread of Phoenician cults and especially the cult of the Tyrian “lord” (I Reg., 16, 31-33), which became almost official in Israel. As once Solomon, so now Omri and Ahab, the Tyrian king assisted in the construction, including in Samaria and in the strategically important city of Megiddo, the fortifications of which are similar to those that defended the Phoenician colony of Tuscanos in distant Spain (Parrot, Chehab, Moscati, 1975, 241; Harden 1980, 49; Mitchell 1982, 469-471).

Omri sharply changed his policy towards Judea. Instead of the enmity that lasted for several decades, which often led to open wars, Omri chose an alliance with her. Apparently, the new king drew a conclusion from relatively recent history, when the alliance of Judah and Aram cost Israel defeat and the loss of a number of cities. Omri gave his daughter Athaliah (Athaliah) in marriage to Joram, the son of the Jewish king Jehoshaphat (II Reg., 8, 26). True, in another place (II Reg., 8.18) she is also called the daughter of Ahab and, therefore, the granddaughter of Omri; but, as scholars have noted, chronological considerations make the first claim more likely (Mitchell 1982a, 488).

The alliance with Tire and Judea provided Israel with the security of its northwestern and southern borders and strengthened trade ties with the Phoenician coast, which made it possible to receive a wide variety of goods. Israel, having become an important intermediate point of trade between Tire and Judea and other southern regions of the Syro-Palestine region, itself began to play an important role in transit trade. Evidence of the foreign trade activity of the Israelites is the discovery in Samaria of Egyptian alabaster vessels with the name of Pharaoh Osorkon II engraved on them (Elat, 1979, 541).

Later, Omri’s son Ahab deployed 10 thousand warriors and 2 thousand chariots for the war with Assyria. This was a very large army for that time, which in itself testifies to the strength of Israel. No less important is the mention of the number of war chariots. Horses were not bred in Palestine, and they could only be obtained through trade, most likely from Cilicia, as was the case under Solomon (Elat, 1979, 541-542).

All this, naturally, enriched the Israeli king, providing the opportunity to begin active construction, continued by his successor. Apparently, almost immediately after coming to power, Omri began construction of a palace at Tirtzah, but it was abandoned after the creation of the new capital (Weippert 1988, 516). But not only Samaria was built, but Megiddo was also largely rebuilt, becoming a very important strategic and administrative center, and to the east of it the winter palace of the Israelite kings was erected (Kempinski, 1989, 198). The destroyed Khazor was also restored (Weippert, 1988, 518). There are other examples of the construction activity of Omri and his son (cf. I Reg. 22, 39).

Omri's activities created political and economic opportunities for Israeli military expansion. One of his main goals was to gain a foothold on trade routes. And if the path through Palestine went directly through the territory of Israel (Faust, 2000a, 4), then the other path, which passed through Transjordan, still had to be captured. After some time, the Israelites invaded this area, where Moab dominated. It is unknown how events unfolded, but ultimately the Moabite king Xmoshyath was forced to submit. The region of Medab in the northern part of Moab came under direct control of Israel. In the rest of the territory, the power of the Moabite king remained, but he recognized the king of Israel as his supreme sovereign (ANET, p. 320) and paid him tribute in the form huge amount(according to legend, two hundred thousand) sheep and rams (II Reg., 3,4). But the main thing was not such an incredible tribute, but the establishment on the most important trade route.

Less successful for Israel were relations with the kingdom of Aram on its northern and northeastern borders. The war with Aram ended with the latter's victory. This undoubtedly follows from the story of how, after the defeat by Ahab, the king of Damascus offered the winner a deal: to return to him the cities and “squares” in the Israeli capital of Samaria, which Ahab’s father was forced to cede to the father of the king of Aram (I Reg, 20, 34). Samaria, as already stated, was built by Omri six years after his accession. Consequently, the victorious war of Aram against Israel took place in the second half of the reign of Omri, i.e. in 876-871. BC e. It is unknown who initiated it - the Israeli or Damascus king. From the point of view of historical logic, both possibilities are real. It can be assumed that, having concluded an alliance with Tire and Judea, Omri tried to return those cities that the Arameans had taken from Israel during the reign of King Baasha. But it is no less likely that Aram, seeing the creation of a dangerous alliance on his borders, prevented the attack of his enemies and struck Israel. It is possible that Israel's assertion of authority in Moab caused enormous damage to Damascus trade, and this became the cause of the conflict (Tadmor 1981, 150). But the defeat of Omri did not entail the loss of Moab, and this must also be kept in mind. Be that as it may, the war between Aram and Israel ended in victory for the former. To the cities captured by Bar-Hadad from Baasha, some more were added, and a trading post was created for the Damascus merchants directly in the Israeli capital. This defeat, however, did not weaken Israel too much. Omri left his son Ahab a strong power that competed with Aram for hegemony in southern Syria and Palestine. In this dispute, Israel was supported by Judah, where Jehoshaphat, Ahab's brother-in-law, sat on the throne.

During the reigns of Omrid in Samaria and Jehoshaphat in Jerusalem, both states transcended their ethnic boundaries in an attempt to create (or recreate) mini-empires. But on this way they encountered fierce resistance from Aram. In the fight against this kingdom, Israel and Judah were allies. However, in their alliance, despite all the achievements of the Jewish king, the primacy belonged to Israel, and the initiative for the war with Aram also came from the Israeli king (I Reg., 22, 4; II Chron., 18, 3). The Israeli king Ahab had to face Aram. even before the joint action of Israel and Judah. The armies of King Aram Bar-Hadad invaded Israel and marched towards Samaria. The authority of Aram was so great at that time that Ahab preferred to negotiate with Bar-Hadad, being even ready to capitulate and recognize the supreme power of the Damascus king. However, the latter exhibited such harsh conditions that the Israeli king, relying on the opinion of the elders, refused to accept them. Bar-Hadad's troops laid siege to Samaria. But Ahab's army launched a sortie and completely defeated the Arameans. Bar-Hadad himself barely managed to escape (I Reg., 20, 1-21). This happened four years before the death of Ahab, i.e. in 856 BC. e.

The next year, with a new army, Bar-Hadad resumed the war with Israel, but suffered a new defeat at the Battle of Aphek (I Reg., 20, 26-30). The biblical account of this defeat is, naturally, overly embellished, and the losses of the Damascus king are exaggerated. But this does not negate the fact itself - the defeat of Aram. Bar-Hadad himself fled to the city of Aphek and then surrendered to the king of Israel. Ahab dealt very mercifully with the vanquished. The king of Damascus promised Ahab to return the cities taken by his father from Omri and to provide the Israelites with a “square,” i.e., a trading post, in Damascus. Apparently, peace was concluded on these terms (I Reg., 20, 30-34). Such a treaty is quite consistent with the diplomatic practice of the ancient Near East (Stipp 1997, 489). It is unknown whether the Israelis used the trading post in Damascus, since it is not mentioned anywhere else. But the very fact of its provision was an important concession from Aram. And this indicates the growing influence of Israel in the region.

The Bible explains the comparative softness of the treaty between Israel and Aram by all the supposedly known mercy of the Israeli kings, although this contradicts the biblical stories themselves. Of course, it was not a matter of their special humanism, but of a sober political calculation. The reason for such softness is the Assyrian threat that was becoming increasingly clear. As we will describe below, the main military actions against Assyria took place on the territory of Syria, but for now it is only necessary to note that Ahab and Bar-Hadad for a while forgot the ancient enmity, and Israel joined the anti-Assyrian coalition led by Aram. Ahab sent 2 thousand chariots and 10 thousand soldiers to the united army. The coalition defeated the Assyrians in 853 BC. e. at the Battle of Karkar. This battle was Israel's first encounter with Assyria. At that time, Ahab, the son of Omri, sat on the throne of Israel, and the Assyrians called this state “the house of Omri.” This name was assigned to Israel in the Assyrian annals.

After the Battle of Karkar, Israel withdrew from the coalition, and its struggle with Aram soon resumed. The very next year after the clash with the Assyrians, Ahab, together with Jehoshaphat, decided to attack the Trans-Jordanian city of Ramot-Gilead, which belonged to Aram. This city was located on the most important trade route connecting Damascus with Arabia (Lipinski, 1979, 56; Reinhold, 1989, 153-154), and its possession largely ensured control over this route. In a battle near the walls of Ramot Gilead, Ahab was mortally wounded and soon died. And the united Israelite-Jewish troops retreated (I Reg. 22:1-37).

Ahab was succeeded by his son Ahaziah (Ahaz Yahu). But two years later he died childless, and his brother Joram ascended the throne of Israel (I Reg., 22:40, 51; II Reg., 1:2-17). Ahab's sons tried to continue their father's policies. However, times have changed. The victory of the Arameans and the death of Ahab revealed the weakness of the political structure that Omri and his son had so diligently created. Even Jehoshaphat, a faithful ally and relative, refused to allow Ahaziah to sail to Ophir through the Red Sea (I Reg., 22, 40). The situation worsened further after the death of Ahaziah. The Moabite king Mesha, the son of Kemosheath, refused to recognize the authority of the king of Israel. Moreover, Mesha began a war with the Israelites and, although it went with varying degrees of success, overall victory leaned towards Moab. In particular, the Moabites captured the city of Nebo, one of the Israeli strongholds in Transjordan. There, as trophies, they took the sacred vessels of Yahweh, which Mesha dedicated to the supreme god of the Moabites, Kemosh. Own forces To restore power over the abandoned Moab, Joram clearly did not have enough, and he was forced to turn to Jehoshaphat for help. The combined army of both Jewish states advanced through the desert around the southern shore of the Dead Sea against Moab. This path was very difficult, and for a long time the army suffered extremely from lack of water. Apparently, taking the easier route around the northern shore of the Dead Sea was impossible due to the dominance of the Arameans in the area. And the united army overcame this path and defeated the Moabites. But she still could not take possession of the capital of Moab, Kir-Moab (Kir-Hareshet), and retreated. Moab regained its independence (II Reg., 1, 1; 3, 4-27; ANET, pp. 320-321).

The great power policy of the kings of both Jewish states and extensive construction required enormous effort, which could not but affect the position of the ordinary population. Israel was a more developed state than Judah, its socio-economic development proceeded faster, therefore property and social differentiation here was more significant than in the southern kingdom. In the north of Israel, the old Canaanite population still remained, continuing the old traditions, but in a subordinate position (Faust, 2000a, 17-21). In this part of Israel, the ethnic situation largely coincided with the political one: the urban population was mixed, but still with a predominance of Israelis, who also occupied a higher position, and the rural population was Canaanite. True, in the cities there is already a process of assimilation of the Hannan “tops” with the Israeli ones, while the “bottoms” largely retained their ethnic characteristics(Faust, 2000a, 21). In the rest of the country the population was more ethnically homogeneous, but social differences became quite significant. Cities have distinct neighborhoods of the rich and the poor, and in Tirza, for example, the rich quarters were even separated from the poor by a wall (Rouillard-Bonraisin 1995, 61; Merpert 2000, 302-303). Moreover, the luxury of the rich was striking. For example, Ahab's palace was decorated with carved ivory (1 Reg., 22, 39), and the king's example was followed by the nobles (Am., 3, 15; 6, 4).

The alliance with Tire and Ahab's marriage to Jezebel led to increased cultural influence of the Phoenicians on the Israelites. The royal palace in Samaria largely reproduced the traditions of Bronze Age palace architecture (Weippert 1988, 537). These traditions were still alive in Phenicia, so it is most likely that the Canaanite appearance of the Omrid palace reflected Phoenician influences, and not the memory of Palestinian palaces of previous eras. Phoenician products were used in abundance in the interior decoration of the palace. As already mentioned, Jezebel brought with her the cult of the Tyrian high god Melqart, and his temple was built in Samaria. Moreover, not only the queen, but also her husband patronized this cult, and it quickly spread among the upper strata of Israeli society (Tadmor, 1981, 152). Jezebel was a very energetic, intelligent, powerful lady, and at the same time extremely cunning (Moscati, 1972,652). She was not at all just a shadow of her husband. It seems that Ahab, being more involved in war, followed the advice of his wife in domestic politics. And naturally, she became the object of hatred of all those who considered themselves unfairly offended.

In this regard, the well-known biblical story of Naboth's vineyard (I Reg., 21, 1 - 17) attracts attention. Ahab really wanted to take possession of the vineyard of a certain Naboth (Naboth), but he did not agree to sell it. And then Jezebel sent letters to the elders and noble citizens of the city of Jezreel (Rouillard-Bonraisin, 1995, 56), where the obstinate winegrower lived, demanding that he be accused of treason and a cult crime, for which he should be executed. They obeyed the queen, and after the execution of Naboth, his vineyard passed to the king as confiscated property. This story is rightly considered as evidence of the existence in Israel of a communal sector with its own laws and property, in the affairs of which the king could not arbitrarily interfere, and it was possible to acquire any property of a community member only after his conviction for a specific crime (Dyakonov, 19b7a, 22). This act of Jezebel caused terrible indignation. The Bible brought to us the burning hatred that the Israelites had for the queen, and the admiration for her terrible death, which will be discussed later. But this story seems to reveal one important aspect domestic policy Omridov. Not daring to disrupt the communal orders established over centuries, the kings of this dynasty, nevertheless, sought to strengthen the royal sector at the expense of the communal sector, using various means for this. The purchase of land for the construction of Samaria and the false accusation of Naboth and the subsequent confiscation of his property are just two examples known to us that were intended to change the balance between the two sectors of the political, economic and social life of Israel in favor of the royal one. Another aspect of the story is noteworthy: the complete subordination of the townspeople, at least the city elite, to the queen and their willingness to do the most unrighteous deeds in order to please her, which clearly indicates the beginning of the degeneration of community structures (Tadmor, 1981, 153). True, it must be borne in mind that the summer residence of the Israeli kings was located in Jezreel, and this increased their influence on the city government, but the very fact of the servile subordination of the city authorities to the royal will quite eloquently testifies to the crisis of traditional communal relations. And this is precisely what did not suit significant sections of the Israeli population. The widespread dissemination of Phoenician culture, and especially cults, at the “top” of the Israeli state led to a cultural gap in Israeli society, when the broad masses of the population began to see the reason for their increasingly disastrous situation precisely in the “Phoenicianization” of the king and his entourage and especially in the spread of foreign cults .

The prophets became the spokesmen of opposition sentiments. There were, of course, court prophets who tried in every possible way to please the king. Such, for example, was a certain Zedekiah, who prophesied about the success of Ahab and his ally Jehoshaphat in the war with Aram (I Reg., 22, 6, 11-12). But a significant group of prophets, in no way connected with the court, sharply opposed Ahab, and even more so against Jezebel. Significant masses of the “ordinary” population and fanatical worshipers of Yahweh, who opposed foreign priests, as well as some group of nobility, dissatisfied with the dominance of Jezebel’s supporters and the excessively Prophynician position of power, united in hatred of the queen and her activities. The mood of the prevailing part of the Israeli population was expressed by the prophet Elijah, who, it seems, first put forward the idea of ​​​​monotheism: Yahweh is not one of the gods, not the supreme god of Israel, and not even the only god whom the Israelis must worship by virtue of the agreement concluded by their ancestors, but in general the only God of the world, and all the others, including, of course, the Phoenicians, so revered by the Israeli aristocrats at that time, are false gods, whose worship is greatest sin. Conflict, both social and religious, became inevitable.

In the fight against the prophets, the king and his wife used power. As soon as the prophet Micah predicted the king’s defeat, he was thrown into prison (I Reg., 22, 26-27). Jezebel generally ordered the physical extermination of all prophets, of course, opposition ones (I Reg., 18, 4). But it did not help. Even among the Israeli nobility, the prophetic movement found supporters who, as already mentioned, were dissatisfied with the policies being pursued and, apparently, competed with the queen’s entourage. Such, for example, was Obadiah, who headed the palace administration, who made every effort to save the prophets (1 Reg., 18:1-4). Opponents of the Prophynician policy also existed in the army, as subsequent events showed (Bietenhard, 1998, 505). And this also strengthened the position of the prophets. True, Elijah himself was probably killed by the royal soldiers. The authority of this fearless opponent of the hated queen was extremely great among the people, stories about his miraculous salvation and taken alive to heaven. The “prophetic sons” were led by Elijah’s disciple Elisha, who moved from an ideological struggle to a political one, the goal of which was the overthrow of the Omrids and the destruction of Jezebel.

The political situation was quite favorable for these plans. Neither Ahaziah nor Joram were as energetic and powerful rulers as Omri and Ahab. Joram's attempt to return Moab to Israeli rule failed, and Israel, having lost its position on the trade routes that passed beyond the Jordan, found itself extremely weakened. Apparently, having decided to take advantage of this weakening of the ancient enemy, the king of Aram Bar-Hadad began a new war. His troops besieged Samaria, where a severe famine began, so that it came to cannibalism. However, the Israelis managed to organize a sortie and repulse the attack

This article covers the history of the formation of the Ancient State - Israel. It was formed as a result of the conquest of Palestine by Israeli tribes. In this case we are talking only about historical known facts. The article leaves out the myths and legends associated with the flight of the Jews from Egyptian captivity, the personality of Moses, and the forty-year wandering of the Israelis in the desert. All these issues require special attention, and therefore are not the subject of description in this specific article.

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The Israeli State: Formation, Development and Collapse

In the 13th century BC. United related Israeli tribes appeared on the territory of Palestine, among which the tribe of Jews stood out. The Jews, who settled in the south of Palestine, in the mountainous region west of the Dead Sea, were the earliest to separate themselves from the main core of the Israeli tribes. The Jews captured the largest and most fertile part of Palestine.

The Israeli tribes quite easily and quickly conquered Palestine, since the indigenous population of this country, the Canaanites, were greatly weakened by the rule of the Egyptian enslavers, continuous wars, and endless raids of other tribes.

The Jews divided all the captured land into plots, which were transferred to individual families or clans. They everywhere turned former land owners into slaves. Some of the Canaanites retained tracts of land and property, and they lived in close contact with the Israelites, but were considered an inferior part of the population. This part of the Canaanites soon assimilated with the Jews.

In connection with the conquest of Palestine by the Jews and the transition to agriculture, the wealth of the conquerors increased, and tribal nobility began to stand out among the Israeli tribes. Although the initial conquest of Palestine by the Israeli tribes led to a significant decline in productive forces and culture, over time the influence of the more cultured population of Palestine on the economic life of the nomads who conquered them led to the economic prosperity of the country. In the north, arable farming and gardening developed, and winemaking and settled cattle breeding began to flourish. The mines were gradually developed. Iron products became a necessity in the economy and became items of trade.

It was then that the Israeli state was formed, which until the 11th century BC. governed by a council of elders. Judicial power in the state was exercised by specially elected officials. The “judges” could simply be successful military leaders. An important role on initial stage The development of the Israeli state was played by the people's assembly. For a very long time, rural communities remained, which simultaneously controlled the slaves and the conquered Canaanite population of Palestine. One of the most important external factors that accelerated the formation of the Israeli state was the invasion in the 13th - 12th centuries. BC. Philistines - one of the many “peoples of the sea”.

First, the Philistines fought along the Mediterranean coast, and then began to penetrate deep into Palestine. In the second half of the 11th century BC. They conquered some of the fortresses of the Jews, including Lachish, where archaeologists discovered a significant amount of Philistine pottery. Since the Philistines turned out to be stronger, they were able to inflict a number of serious defeats on the Israelis and conquer some cities, including the main sanctuary of Israel - the city of Shiloh. These internal and external factors accelerated the process of formation of the Israeli state, which ends at the end of the 11th century BC.

Saul, the leader of the Benjaminite tribe, elected at a popular meeting, becomes the first king of all Israel. Under his rule, all Israelite tribes, including the Jews, were subordinated to the new state formation, which allowed Saul to win repeated victories over the Philistines. However, setbacks soon began, resulting in defeat by the Philistines at the Battle of Mount Gilboa around 1004 BC. This defeat led to the death of Saul and his eldest sons. Saul's head was cut off, after which his enemies carried it “throughout all the land of the Philistines,” and the headless body was hung on the wall of the fortress of Beth Shean, located in the depths of Israel.

The next king of Israel becomes one of Saul's military leaders from the tribe of Judah - David (late 11th century - 950 BC). Under his rule, Jerusalem became the capital of the state and the religious center of Judaism. According to the Bible, David was a harpist in the court of King Saul. He defeated the Philistine giant Goliath. This episode has more than once become the subject of expressions of courage and humanistic ideals in art, especially during the Renaissance. The most famous in this regard is Michelangelo’s sculpture “David”.

Here the biblical character is depicted not after victory, but at the moment of making the decision to fight Goliath. “Michelangelo’s David is David at the decisive moment, when he prepared to rush into battle, still bearing on his face traces of the most contradictory feelings: fear, uncertainty, disgust, doubt: a man is shown who planned to make his own path among the hills of Jerusalem, a man who did not care neither about the victorious shine of weapons, nor about rich rewards for heroism...” (I. Stone “Torment and Joy” M. 1991).

Having defeated Goliath, David became Saul's general, the friend of his son Jonathan and the husband of his daughter Michal, but was expelled by the king, who was jealous of his talents. After Saul's death, David ruled the tribe of Judah, and Saul's son, Ishbosheth, ruled the rest of Israel.

After the murder of Ishbosheth, David was elected king of Israel by his associates. During his reign, the Jews, who had been a confederation of tribes, became a single settled people. David moved the capital from Hebron to Jerusalem and made it the religious center of Judaism, transporting there the main shrine - the Ark of the Covenant. In the war with his neighbors, David expanded the territory of Israel and brought prosperity to the country. Last years his reign was overshadowed by the conspiracies of his sons and the rivalry of relatives at court. One of the rebellions was led by his beloved son Absalom, who died in battle with his father’s army.

David was succeeded by Solomon, who became the last king of the united Judah-Israelite state. Solomon, whose wisdom was praised by biblical legend, continued his father's policies. In addition, during the reign of Solomon, all trade in Asia was concentrated in his state. In order to have independence in trade from Phenicia, Solomon started his own fleet, the ships of which went on long voyages and brought gold and rare works. However, the eastern luxury with which the king surrounded himself required enormous expenses, which affected the increase in taxes, which became one of the reasons for the collapse of the Israeli-Jewish state. The brilliant reign of Solomon ended with threatening signs of internal decay. After the death of the king, the united kingdom of Israel and Judah split into two independent states - Israel and Judea. This event occurred around 925 BC.

About King Solomon in various sources, including ancient Egyptian papyri, Arabic chronicles, and of course the Bible contain many legends and myths. What is certain about the reign of Solomon is that he inherited the throne of his father at a time when Israel was strengthening as a political power, and under his rule the nation achieved significant prosperity. To ensure peace in the region, Solomon made alliances with Egypt and Phenicia, but this caused displeasure as it led to the official permission of foreign religious cults in Jerusalem.

Solomon carried out a number of reforms, one of which was administrative-territorial reform. He divided the country into administrative regions to make it easier to govern, and also introduced a system of forced labor to carry out an unprecedented construction program. Among other things, cities, palaces and, around 970 BC, were built. The first temple was built in Jerusalem, known as King Solomon's Temple. According to legend, it was in this temple that the Ark of the Covenant was kept - the main shrine of the Jews and Israelites.

Partly because of the high taxes imposed to maintain court luxury, the northern tribes, after the death of Solomon, separated and united under the rule of Jeroboam. Solomon became famous not only as a statesman, but also as a philosopher. That is why parts of the biblical writings are attributed to him, including the Book of Proverbs of Solomon, the Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes and the Book of Wisdom of Solomon.

The story of the Queen of Sheba is connected with the era of Solomon's reign. The Queen of Sheba is mentioned in the Bible without a name. In the Koran, Persian and Arabic tales, she is known as Bilqis. In Ethiopia she is called Makeda - Queen of the South. The Queen of Sheba ranks in literature and traditions important place, that the Ethiopian kings considered themselves her descendants, and the local Jews continue to consider themselves. The third Book of Kings is considered the oldest source about the Queen of Sheba. Old Testament. She arrives in Jerusalem in order to test the wisdom of King Solomon and asks him riddles. The Bible does not say which ones, but only mentions that Solomon solved them all.

It is now almost certain that the possessions of the Queen of Sheba were in the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula, where the state of Yemen is now located. In legends, the state of the Queen of Sheba is described as a magical country, where sand is more expensive than gold, trees from the Garden of Eden grow, and people do not know war. As a result of the meeting between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, a mutually beneficial agreement was concluded, according to which the queen gave Solomon 120 talents of gold and a great variety of incense and precious stones. Solomon, in turn, allowed the passage of caravans through his vassal territory to Egypt, Syria, and Phenicia.

As for the Queen of Sheba herself, according to legend she was smart and beautiful woman. She knew how to compose essences from herbs, flowers and roots, and understood astrology, taming wild animals, and drawing up love spells. Greek and Roman legends attributed to her unearthly beauty and the greatest wisdom, the art of intrigue to maintain power. In her state, the Queen of Sheba was not only a ruler, but also high priestess. The Arabs added that the Queen of Sheba was an expert in preparing delicious dishes, and traveled on elephants and camels, surrounded by a large retinue and personal guard, consisting of light-skinned tall giants. As a child of her era, she was cunning, superstitious, and inclined to recognize foreign gods if they promised her good luck. She was familiar not only with pagan idols, but also with gods - the predecessors of Hermes, Aphrodite, and Poseidon. Her royal palace complex along with a fairy garden surrounded by an ornamented wall of colored stones was another miracle ancient world. However, the remains of the palace have not yet been found, since there is no exact mention of the location of the palace. Legends name various areas of the location of the capital of the mysterious country of the Queen of Sheba. According to one version, it was located at the junction of the borders of Namibia, Botswana and Angola, according to another - in the south-east of modern Zaire. Ancient written sources report that she was from the line of Egyptian kings, and that her father was God, whom she passionately desired to see. Legends and myths that have come down to us tell us about the real and romantic, but always mysterious image of the Queen of Sheba from a large and prosperous state.

Legends tell of the passionate and romantic love between Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Their short romance lasted for six months. All this time, Solomon did not part with her and constantly gave her expensive gifts. When it turned out that the Queen of Sheba was pregnant, she left the king and returned to the Sabaean kingdom, where she gave birth to a son, Menelik, who became the first Ethiopian king. That is why, in Ethiopian legends, Solomon and the Queen of Sheba are considered the ancestors of a three thousand-year dynasty of emperors of Abyssinia. Bilkis, Lilith, Almaka, Queen of the South, Queen of Sheba - this woman has never been called as before. In the legends of the peoples of the Earth one can hardly find a more mysterious woman.

After the collapse of the united Jewish and Israeli state, the Davidic dynasty continued to rule in Judea, while in Israel there was a rapid change of dynasties until in 875 BC. The military leader Omri founded the most significant and influential of all known dynasties, which lasted for about 50 years. It was during this dynasty that Israel experienced its heyday, and in the Assyrian annals of the 9th century BC. Israel was called the "house of Omri." Omri made his capital the city of Samaria, which he built in the center of the state, in the middle of a fertile valley, located in a very advantageous strategic location, at a height that could be turned into a fortress in case of danger.

The once strong Israeli-Jewish state, after it was divided into two independent kingdoms, came the time of their weakening, as a result of which in 722 BC. Samaria fell under the blows of the Assyrians. Israel ceased to exist because the Assyrians took tens of thousands of people captive, depriving them of their land, and in their place they settled residents of other parts of their great power. After the death of Assyria at the end of the 7th century BC, its territories were conquered by Babylon, which in 597 BC. subjugated Judea. The final fall of the Kingdom of Judah occurred in 586 BC, when the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed the rebel Jerusalem, liquidated the Kingdom of Judah and took him into captivity big number inhabitants of Judea.

Under Alexander the Great and his heirs, significant Jewish communities formed in the Hellenistic states, and Judea, retaining some autonomy, was part of the possessions of the Seleucids and Ptolemies. In the II century. BC e. Judas Maccabee, having rebelled against the Seleucids, who desecrated religious shrines, created a theocratic state with its capital in Jerusalem. His heirs, the Hasmoneans, lost power as a result of internecine struggle. In the 1st century BC e. With the help of the Romans, Herod I the Great seized the throne; after his death, Judea became a Roman province. Anti-Roman uprising 66 - 73 ( Jewish War) ended with the capture and destruction of Jerusalem.

And falls into Dead Sea.

Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is a large and very salty sea. lake- a natural body of water, surrounded on all sides by land. It was nicknamed the sea in ancient times for its large size, but it is nowhere connected to the ocean. The lake lies at the bottom of the deepest depression on Earth. The water level in the lake is 395 m lower than the water level in the ocean.

The water in the Dead Sea is ten times saltier than many real seas. Neither fish nor algae can live in such salty water. Crystal layers glitter on its shores, and people who don’t even know how to swim don’t drown. Salt water pushes them to the surface.

History of the Hebrew Kingdom

• OK. 1250 BC e. - Jews enter Canaanite land.
• OK. 1020 BC e. — Saul becomes king.
• OK. 1000-965 BC e. - reign of King David. The Philistines are defeated.
• OK. 965-928 BC e. - reign of King Solomon. Construction of the temple.
• OK. 926 BC e. - the single kingdom of Israel splits into two: Israel and Judah.
• 722 BC e. - The Assyrians conquer Israel.
• 587 BC e. - The Babylonians destroy Jerusalem. The people of Judah are taken into captivity.

In Palestine, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, Jews have lived since ancient times. Ancient Jewish tribes roamed the desert near the land of Canaan. They grazed goats and sheep and grew bread. The history of the Jewish people is represented by a book sacred to many peoples - the Bible.

The Great Exodus

During a strong drought When there was no rain for a long time, the land dried up, and there was very little water left in the rivers and wells, the Jews, fleeing hunger, moved from Palestine to the fertile lands of the Nile Delta, to Egypt.

Many years later, the prophet Moses led them to the land of their ancestors. Led by Moses, they fled for a long time wandering through the desert between the Red and Mediterranean seas, then crossed the desert and entered the land of Canaan. The long journey and the miracles that happened to them are described in the Bible. The escape of the Jews from Egypt remains in the annals of history as the Great Exodus. This is the oldest known migration of people.

Conquest of Canaan

Beans, lentils, garlic, onions and peas grew in the garden. Olives, figs, dates and pomegranates grew in the orchard. Goats gave milk and were used for meat.

In the courtyard there was an oven for baking bread, next to which the girls kneaded dough. Women also crushed olives to make oil and spun wool.

Ancient Hebrew architecture

Temple of King Solomon in Jerusalem

King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem is built of limestone. The walls were lined with cedar brought from Phenicia. A portico was erected along the perimeter of the roof, and at the entrance to the temple there were two bronze columns. Phoenician artisans helped the ancient Jews build this temple.

Since the time of the biblical patriarchs, who lived, according to scientists, in the 2nd millennium BC. e., the land of Israel is sacred to the Jewish people. It was bequeathed to him by God and, according to Jewish teaching, it will become the place of the coming of the Messiah, who will mark the beginning of a new happy era in his life. It is here, in the Promised Land, that all the main shrines of Judaism and places associated with history are located modern Israel.

The path to the land bequeathed by God

The United Nations, created shortly before, tried to find a compromise solution to the controversial issue and supported the division of Palestine. At the same time, Jerusalem was to receive the status of an international city, governed by UN representatives. This approach did not suit any of the warring parties.

The majority of the Jewish population, especially its religiously orthodox part, considered the decision of the international body not to meet their national interests. In turn, the leaders of the League of Arab States openly stated that they would make every effort to prevent its implementation. In November 1947, the head of the Supreme Arab Council, Jamal al Husseini, threatened immediate military action if any part of the territory went to the Jews.

Nevertheless, the plan for the division of Palestine, which marked the beginning of the history of modern Israel, was accepted, and the position taken by the government of the Soviet Union and US President Harry Truman played a key role in this. The leaders of both great powers, making such a decision, pursued the same goal - strengthening their influence in the Middle East and creating a reliable bridgehead there.

Exacerbation of interethnic struggle

The further period in the history of the creation of Israel, which lasted about two years, was marked by large-scale military actions that unfolded between Arabs and Jewish armed forces, commanded by a prominent statesman and future Prime Minister of the country, David Ben-Gurion. The clashes became particularly acute after the British troops left the territory they had previously occupied due to the termination of the mandate.

According to historians, the Arab-Israeli war of 1947-1949 can be divided into two stages. The first of them, covering the period from November 1947 to March 1948, is characterized by the fact that the Jewish armed forces were limited to only defensive actions and carried out a limited number of retaliatory actions. Subsequently, they switched to active offensive tactics, and soon captured most of the strategically important points, such as Haifa, Tiberias, Safed, Jaffa and Acre.

Israeli Declaration of Independence

An important point in the history of the creation of Israel was the statement of the American Secretary of State George Marshall, made in May 1948. It was, in essence, an ultimatum in which the temporary People's government The Jewish state was proposed to transfer full power to the UN Security Committee, whose responsibilities included ensuring a ceasefire. Otherwise, America refused to help the Jews in the event of renewed Arab aggression.

This statement served as the reason for convening an emergency meeting on May 12, 1949 People's Council, at which, based on the results of the vote, it was decided to reject the US proposal. Two days later, on May 14, another important event occurred - the declaration of Israeli independence. The corresponding document was signed in the building of the Tel Aviv Museum, located on Rothschild Boulevard.

The Declaration of Independence of Israel stated that, having traveled a centuries-long path and endured many troubles, Jewish people wishes to return to his historical homeland. The UN resolution on the division of Palestine, adopted in November 1947, was cited as a legal justification. On its basis, the Arabs were asked to stop the bloodshed and respect the principles of national equality.

Epilogue

This is how the modern state of Israel was created. Despite all the efforts made by the international community, peace in the Middle East is still only an illusory dream - no matter how many years Israel has existed, its confrontation with the countries of the Arab world continues for as long.

Sometimes it takes the form of large-scale military action. Among them, one can recall the events of 1948, when Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria and Transjordan tried together to destroy the state of Israel, as well as the short-term but bloody wars - the Six Day War (June 1967) and the Yom Kippur War (October 1973).

At present, the result of the confrontation is an intifada, unleashed by the Arab militant movement and aimed at capturing the entire territory of Palestine. Nevertheless, the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob remember the covenant given to them by God, and firmly believe that sooner or later peace and tranquility will triumph in their historical homeland.