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THE FIRST TEMPLE PERIOD
AND THE LONG DAVIDIC DYNASTY
10th to the 6th century BCE
During his glorious reign, David unified the "twelve tribes of Israel."
But after the death of his son Solomon, the land split into two kingdoms.
The Northern Kingdom, called Israel, would be governed by a
number of dynasties.
The Southern Kingdom, known as Judah, would be ruled by kings
in David's line for 400 years from its capital in
Jerusalem-where Solomon had built a splendid Temple.
Many of the biblical narratives are devoted to the history of this
Southern Kingdom.
In the four hundred and eightieth year after the
Israelites left the land of Egypt, in the month of Ziv-that is, the
second month-in the fourth year of his reign over Israel, Solomon began
to build the House of the LORD.
1 Kings 6:1
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