I appreciate that Torah was written during 2nd temple. But the relatively recent 1st temple history and prophets cursing their kings, and declaring God himself will destroy the temple, and contradicting Moses law, seems to chronicle a fall that seems too intricate. But, there is archeological evidence that Jerusalem and Judah (David and Solomon) (surround it) had small 10000 population. That Israel was a more powerful friendly kingdom to the north, and Judahan history got rewritten after Syrians invaded and displaced Israel's citizens to Judah. Very hard to judge if its too crazy, when religion continuously proves very crazy.

I think I broadly agree with all of this.

Well, 'Syrians' is a somewhat problematic term, but basically yes.

The more likely history of Judah is that the Philistines forced Egypt to reduce its empire, and Saul, just before David, consolidated the few poor tribes of Judah in defense to Philistines, with David paying tribute to Philistines to survive. Yahweh war god's chosen people never fought or vanquished anyone anywhere near Judah/Israel. It is also Israel side that laid claim to a Moses heritage instead of the Judah/David side. It would all get merged later after Israel was invaded.

Ah thats an interesting further uh, wrinkle in the story, I'd guess you could say.

Plausible, certainly, I think.

But yes it gets... very complicated, very fast, the more detail one tries to cover, but again, broadly that all seems plausible to likely, to me.

Sorry didn't mean to be purely critiqueing, I thought you had a pretty good take on all the... gnostic complexities running parellel to developments in Judaism itself, post 2nd temple destruction and such.

I just had to quibble with a flat out assertion of David as historical, hahaha, maybe I was too zealous =P

All the myths are mixed and recycled from Sumer, to Egypt, to Canaan, India, China, Persia, etc, and were never meant to be taken at face value is the point. But you'd have to delve deep into Kabbalah, ancient Sumerian, Egyptian, Sufism, Tantra, Babylonian Talmudic, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, Gnostic mysticism to get scratch the surface. I've been looking into it for decades, especially the last three or four years, because I had time and regular internet. Especially look to understand PaRDeS, the multi-layered garden, from which we get the word, "Paradise," and multiple other esoteric myths, like the 72 names, Abra Melin, the Ethiopian Bible, etc etc etc. It's quite enthralling, and while I don't take my faith literally, anymore, I do take it more seriously. "Milk and meat," and "When I was a child, I thought, reasoned, understood as a child, when I became a woman, I put away childish things." It's entirely worth the time and effort, should you decide to embark on the journey. Peace/Salaam/Shalom, either way.