ABSTRACT
Jerusalem became the capital of a United Israelite Monarchy in the days of David and remained the capital even with the division of the kingdom in the days of his grandson, Rehoboam. Scholarly understanding of First Temple Period Jerusalem is increasing at an impressive pace due to the numerous archaeological excavations taking place across the city. Complicating matters further is that Jerusalem was destroyed but once throughout the entire First Temple Period. There are two main historical issues that have contributed many publications to the scholarly world: Jerusalem and the rise of an Israelite/Judahite state, and the growth of the city in the First Temple Period. The first issue is related to the question of whether or not there was an Israelite state in the Iron Ages I/IIA with Jerusalem as its capital as is indicated in the biblical text. The second issue pertains to the growth of Jerusalem in the First Temple Period.
