Final answer:
General Joshua led the Israelites in battles during the conquest of Canaan, settling the land after Moses's Exodus from Egypt. Archaeological evidence questions the scale of the conquest. Later, faced with Philistine threats, the Israelites formed a kingdom with kings Saul and David.
Step-by-step explanation:
After Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt in a period known as the Exodus, his general Joshua led them into several military campaigns in Canaan. The Book of Joshua in the Hebrew Bible provides an account of these battles, detailing how the Israelites conquered and settled the promised lands.
However, archaeological evidence seemingly contradicts the biblical account of a large-scale, sudden conquest led by Joshua. Instead, some findings indicate a more gradual settlement of Hebrews in Canaan, with possible integration of a smaller group from Egypt.
Once settled, the Hebrews lived as twelve tribes and later faced oppression from the Philistines. To combat this threat, they established a united monarchy, crowning Saul and later David as their kings. King David managed to effectively resist Philistine advances, solidifying Israeli territory.
Throughout this tumultuous period, shifts in power were frequent. Empires like Neo-Assyria and Neo-Babylonia posed challenges, and there were internal conflicts as well. Ultimately, Israel's wealth and strategic position attracted various invaders, leading to its conquest by the Assyrian Empire, which resulted in the dispersal and assimilation of some of the Hebrew tribes.