I'd say the starting techs ought to be Mysticism and Animal Husbandry (or Farming). I also think the leader choices shouldn't be father and son - seems a bit lame. Maybe replace David with Joshua, Joshua being Aggressive and Imperialistic (thinking in Warlords terms here) with a favorite civic of Nationhood. Or maybe we could go modern and use David Ben-Gurion (Defensive and Expansive?) and have his favorite civic be Representation or Universal Sufferage.
I also agree Solomon works better Philosophical instead of Spiritual, but also perhaps because I A) hate being Spiritual and B) Ramases II is Spi/Ind. And Theocracy? No. Organized Religion 100%. Pacifism if you want to compromise.
The Macabees could be extra hill fighting but the Celts took that. I say make them +15% City defense OR, and I've never mod'd so I don't know if this is feasible, +10% strength and they are made with +1 experience for every city you have ever lost (even if you regained it), +2 if that city was razed, so long as you originally created the city to begin with.