United Monarchy

Israel asks Samuel for "a king to judge us like all the nations" (1 Samuel 8:5), and gets Saul, a head taller than everyone else, anointed in private and chosen by lot in public (1 Samuel 9–10). His reign begins with a rescue at Jabesh-gilead and unravels through impatience at Gilgal and disobedience over Amalek, until Samuel tells him the kingdom has been torn from him (1 Samuel 15:26–28). His son Jonathan, braver than his father and loyal to his rival, is the tragedy inside the tragedy.

Samuel anoints the youngest son of Jesse in Bethlehem, and David enters the story with a sling, a stone and Goliath (1 Samuel 16–17). Jonathan loves him as his own soul; Saul hunts him through the wilderness of Ziph and En-gedi; Michal lowers him out of a window; Abigail talks him out of bloodshed; Ahimelech gives him bread and dies for it at the hand of Doeg the Edomite (1 Samuel 18–25). Saul and Jonathan fall together on Mount Gilboa (1 Samuel 31), and David sings a lament for both.

David is made king in Hebron and then over all Israel, takes Jerusalem, and brings the ark into the city dancing (2 Samuel 5–6). The LORD promises him a house that will not end (2 Samuel 7:16). Around him stand Joab, Abishai and Benaiah, the mighty men, the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the counsellors Ahithophel and Hushai. Then Bathsheba, and Uriah the Hittite dead at the wall, and the prophet Nathan with four words: "You are the man" (2 Samuel 12:7). The sword never leaves his house — Amnon, Tamar, Absalom in the oak, Sheba's revolt, Adonijah's grab for the throne.

Solomon is enthroned by Zadok and Nathan (1 Kings 1) and asks for "an understanding mind to govern your people" (1 Kings 3:9). He builds the temple with cedar from Hiram of Tyre and the craftsmanship of Huram-abi, dedicates it with a prayer of astonishing scope (1 Kings 8), and receives the Queen of Sheba, who finds the half was not told her. But his foreign wives turn his heart, adversaries rise in Hadad and Rezon, and a prophet tells Jeroboam that ten tribes will be his (1 Kings 11). The united kingdom lasts three reigns.