The cover story of the current issue (December 2010) of National Geographic is entitled “Kings of Controversy,” and it considers the archaeological debate over the kingdom of David and Solomon. 

The story is interesting and well-written, and it gives a good presentation of the debate from a mainstream perspective. 

On one side is Israel Finkelstein, somehow considered the “establishment, a Goliath fending off upstart assaults on his chronological order.”  On the other side, those launching the “upstart assaults” are such novice scholars as Amihai Mazar, Thomas Levy, Eilat Mazar, and Yosef Garfinkel.  The writer got his Davids and Goliaths mixed up, for it is actually Finkelstein’s theory which is the late-comer and the minority position among scholars today. 

If you’re at all interested in what archaeologists are saying today about this contested issue, the article is worth your time.  The photo gallery is viewable at a separate link.