Israel’s first king was Saul. He is traditionally identified as the first king of the United Kingdom of Israel, anointed by the prophet Samuel, and ruled around the early 11th century BCE before his death in battle against the Philistines. After Saul, David became king, followed by Solomon, who reigned over a united Israel before the kingdom later split into Israel (the northern kingdom) and Judah (the southern kingdom) after Solomon’s reign. Key points:

• Saul: first king, united Israel under a monarchy, reigned roughly 40–42 years, chosen by God and anointed by Samuel.
• David: second king, established a strong centralized monarchy, ruled over Judah for about seven and a half years and over the whole kingdom for about 33 years.
• Solomon: third king of the unified kingdom, known for wisdom and for building the First Temple in Jerusalem, reigned around 970–931 BCE.