The sole monarchy occupied three reigns, those of Saul, David, and
Solomon. Saul reigned for nearly forty years, and, after wars with the
neighboring Moabites, Edomites, Amalekites, and others, was defeated and
driven to suicide by the powerful Philistines.
Saul’s son-in-law, David, the son of Jesse, reigned also about forty
years, and, having conquered Jerusalem from the Jebusites (1048 B. C.)
made it the capital of his kingdom, the seat of the national government
and religion. David was a warlike monarch, and conquered the
Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, and Syrians, extending his power from
the Red Sea to the Euphrates.