Biblical

David Defeats the Philistines

c. 1000 b.c. Soon after David moved his capital to Jerusalem, the Philistines prepared to attack David’s forces at the nearby Valley of Rephaim. David defeated them, but they regrouped and prepared for a second attack. This time David attacked them from the rear and struck them down

Biblical

David Captures the Stronghold of Zion

c. 1005 b.c. After securing his reign over all Israel, David moved his capital from Hebron, a southern city of Judah, to a more central and tribally neutral location at Jerusalem. At the time, Jerusalem (called “the stronghold of Zion”) was held by the Jebusites, and its terraced defensive

Biblical

David’s Struggle for Power

c. 1010 b.c. Immediately after Saul’s death, a struggle for power ensued between David and Ish-bosheth (or Eshbaal), Saul’s youngest and only surviving son. David ruled over his native tribe of Judah from Hebron, while Ish-bosheth ruled over the rest of Israel from Mahanaim across the Jordan

Biblical

The Setting of 2 Samuel

c. 1000 b.c. The book of 2 Samuel recounts David’s reign over Israel and his battles to establish Israel as the dominant power in Syria and Palestine. David expanded Israel’s borders from Saul’s fledgling territory until, by the end of his reign, he controlled all of

Biblical

The Battle at Mount Gilboa

c. 1010 b.c. Philistine forces advanced to Shunem from Aphek and prepared to attack the Israelites near their camp in Jezreel. Saul, fearing the great army that faced him, slipped away during the night to consult a medium at En-dor in order to seek the counsel of the deceased

Biblical

David Flees from Saul

David’s growing reputation among the people as a warrior and leader incited Saul’s jealousy, and Saul began trying to kill David. David fled from Saul in Gibeah (1) and went to Samuel at Naioth in Ramah (2), but soon Saul sought him there, and David fled back to

Biblical

The Battle at Elah

Sometime after being anointed as the next king of Israel, David was sent from Bethlehem by his father to take food to his brothers serving in the Israelite army near Socoh and Azekah. When David arrived, he learned of the Philistines’ challenge to the Israelites to send a champion to

Biblical

The Battle at Michmash

As the Philistines strengthened their grip on the central hill country of Israel, they placed troops at Michmash and sent raiding parties into the countryside. After Saul’s son Jonathan captured the town of Geba, Saul mustered more Israelite forces at Gilgal and joined Jonathan. A daring raid by Jonathan

Biblical

Saul Rescues Jabesh-gilead

c. 1050 b.c. Soon after Saul was anointed king of Israel, the people of Jabesh-gilead were attacked by the Ammonites. When Saul heard the news at Gibeah, he quickly mustered the Israelite forces at Bezek and defeated the Ammonites in battle. Samuel then called upon the people to confirm

Biblical

The Ark’s Travels in 1 Samuel 3–7

After suffering losses in battle against the Philistines at Ebenezer, the Israelite forces called for the ark of the covenant to be brought to the battle from Shiloh. But the Israelites were defeated again, and the Philistines captured the ark. The ark’s presence in each Philistine city caused the

Biblical

The Setting of 1 Samuel

c. 1050 b.c. The book of 1 Samuel is set in Israel during the time of transition between the period of the judges and the period of the monarchy. It opens with Samuel’s birth and then describes his role as judge over Israel. When the people ask for

Biblical

The Setting of Ruth

Set in the period of the judges, the book of Ruth records how a famine in Judah forces Naomi and her husband to leave Israel and move to Moab, where their sons marry Moabite women. When Naomi’s husband and sons die, she decides to return to her home in

Biblical

Dan’s Migration and Israel’s War with Benjamin

The final chapters of Judges record the migration of the tribe of Dan to the north, and Israel’s war with Benjamin for deeds committed against a Levite passing through Gibeah. After refusing to surrender the perpetrators to judgment, the Benjaminites were defeated by the other tribes, and the remaining

Biblical

Samson’s Exploits

The Philistines ruled over Israel during Samson’s lifetime, and Samson was raised up by God to begin to deliver Israel from them. Samson’s marriage to a Philistine woman in Timnah led to a number of encounters with the Philistines, often resulting in their harm at Samson’s hand.

Biblical

Jephthah Defeats the Ammonites

Jephthah was called upon by the leaders of Gilead to fight against the Ammonites, who were oppressing the Israelites in Gilead, Ephraim, Benjamin, and Judah. After Jephthah defeated the Ammonites, the men of Ephraim became angry that they had not been called to join the battle, and they gathered to

Biblical

Gideon Defeats the Midianites

Gideon’s small army of 300 men camped by the spring of Harod while the vast Midianite army spread out in the Jezreel Valley by the hill of Moreh. When Gideon’s men encircled and surprised the Midianites during the night, the Midianites fled. Gideon’s men chased them to

Biblical

Deborah and Barak Defeat the Canaanites

When King Jabin of Hazor began to oppress the Israelites, Deborah called upon Barak from Kedesh-naphtali to fight against him. The Israelite forces gathered at Mount Tabor, and Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, marched his men to the Kishon River. The Israelites defeated Sisera’s forces and chased

Biblical

Ehud Defeats the Moabites

During the time of Ehud, King Eglon of Moab expanded his territory and captured the “city of palms,” probably to be understood as Jericho. Ehud and the other Israelite delegates were returning from delivering their tribute to Eglon, but Ehud turned back and killed Eglon at Jericho. Then Ehud escaped

Biblical

The Judges of Israel

c. 1375–1050/1210–1050 b.c. The judges came from various tribes and regions of Israel, and they likely held varying degrees of influence over their neighboring regions and tribes.

Biblical

The Setting of Judges

c. 1375/1210 b.c. The incomplete conquest of the Promised Land set the stage for the book of Judges, which recounts the exploits of various leaders raised up to deliver Israel from their oppressors.

Biblical

The Allotment of the Land

c. 1400 b.c. During the conquest of Canaan, Joshua allotted the land to the tribes of Israel. These boundaries, however, do not necessarily reflect the land each tribe actually inhabited by the end of the conquest. Several tribes, such as Dan, were unable to drive out the Canaanites that

Biblical

Kings Defeated by the Israelites

c. 1390 b.c. The Israelites captured many key cities throughout Canaan, although apparently some of them were later taken back by the Canaanites (e.g., Jerusalem). Under the leadership of Moses, the Israelites captured towns east of the Jordan River, including Ashtaroth and Heshbon. Joshua led the Israelites to

Biblical

The Conquest of Canaan: The Northern Campaign

c. 1400 b.c. After Joshua’s forces defeated several Amorite kings in the south, the king of Hazor assembled the northern Canaanite kings to battle the Israelites. Joshua and his men defeated the Canaanites at the waters of Merom and pursued them to Great Sidon and the Valley of

Biblical

The Conquest of Canaan: The Southern Campaign

c. 1400 b.c. Upon hearing that the Gibeonites signed a peace treaty with the Israelites, five Amorite cities attacked Gibeon. Joshua’s forces came up from Gilgal to defend the Gibeonites, and they chased the Amorites as far as Azekah and Makkedah. Joshua’s forces continued their attack until

Biblical

The Covenant Is Renewed at Mount Ebal

c. 1406/1220 b.c. Joshua fulfilled Moses’ command to renew the covenant at Shechem by placing copies of the covenant on Mount Ebal and directing the Israelite tribes to shout the blessings and curses of the covenant to each other across the valley separating Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim