Israel’s political and administrative structures in the pre-monarchic and monarchic periods

This chapter explores the evidence for and scholarly reconstruction of political and administrative structures in ancient Israelite society in the pre-monarchic period, the time of the United Monarchy, and the period of the separate kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Of particular importance to these structures were the Israelite tribes, whose lineage structure was a central factor in social and political organization, but when it became a kingdom Israel became patrimonial, with the king as the father of one great household made up of smaller households. For the period of the United Monarchy, the primary body of evidence appears in the books of 1–2 Samuel and 1 Kings, which offer much detail in these areas. For the period of the separate kingdoms, the biblical text offers less detail, but by this time (the late Iron Age) the number of inscriptions related to administration increases significantly, including personal seals and the LMLK jar inscriptions.

© 2023 selection and editorial matter, Kyle H. Keimer and George A. Pierce; individual chapters, the contributors. All rights reserved.