The monarchical period begins with Saul’s anointing by the prophet Samuel against the wishes of God, who wanted Israel to have no king but God. After the disastrous end of Saul’s reign, David ascended the throne of Israel, moving its capital to Jerusalem. During his reign Israel reached the peak of its glory. This was maintained and expanded under the rule of David’s son, Solomon, who oversaw the building of the first temple. After Solomon’s death Israel broke apart, splitting into two kingdoms, Israel in the north and Judah in the south.
The history of Israel beyond this point had many ups and downs, which resulted in the end of the kingdom of Israel at the hands of the Assyrians and, later, the end of Judah, which was conquered by Babylon. The period preceding, including, and immediately following these exiles, is the period of the prophets. The story of the return and reestablishment under Nebuchadnezzar is chronicled in Ezra and Nehemiah. This is the period in which the narrative that is scripture in the form we possess it began to be compiled, edited and written. Israel never recovered from these conquests, being dominated by dynasties established by generals who served under Alexander the great, first from Egypt, then from Syria, except for a brief period of liberation during the rule of the Hasmoneans prior to being subdued by Rome.
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