2. Early in their history, the Israelites, or
Hebrews, came to believe that God was taking
a hand in their lives. As a result, they
recorded events and laws in the Torah, their
most sacred text.
According to the Torah, a man named
Abraham lived near Ur in Mesopotamia.
About 2000BC, he and his family migrated
into a region called Canaan. Abraham is
considered the founder of the Israelite nation.
3. The Book of Genesis tells that a famine forced
many Israelites to migrate to Egypt
In Egypt, the Israelites were enslaved until
Moses led their exodus out of Egypt
After Moses died, they entered Canaan, the
land they believed God had promised them
4.
5.
6.
7. By 1000BC, the Israelites had set up a
kingdom called Israel. David, a strong and
shrewd king, united the feuding Israelite
tribes into a single nation.
David’s son Solomon turned Jerusalem into
an impressive capital, with a splendid temple
dedicated to God. Solomon won fame for his
wisdom and understanding. He also tried to
increase Israel’s influence by negotiating with
powerful empires in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
8.
9.
10. Israel paid a heavy price for Solomon’s
ambitions. His building projects required
such high taxes and so much forced labor
that revolts erupted soon after his death
about 922BC. The kingdom then split into
Israel in the north and Judah in the south.
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Solomon’s great
temple and forced many Israelites into exile
in Babylon. During this period, called the
Babylonian Captivity, the Israelites became
known as the Jews.
11.
12.
13. To the Israelites, history and faith were
interconnected. Each event reflected God’s
plan for them. In time, their beliefs evolved
into the religion we know today as Judaism.
The beliefs of the Israelites differed in basic
ways from those of nearby peoples. The
Israelites were monotheistic, believing in one
true God. At the time, most other people
were polytheistic.
14. The ancient Israelites prayed to God to save
them from their enemies. Many other ancient
people had also turned to particular gods as
special protectors. But they thought of such
gods as tied to certain places or people. The
Israelites believed in an all-knowing, all-
powerful God who was present everywhere.
15. The Israelites believed that God had made a
covenant with Abraham
Moses later renewed this covenant. In return
for faithful obedience, he said God would
lead the Israelites out of bondage and into
the “promised land” of Canaan. Thus, the
Israelites and, later, the Jews saw themselves
as God’s “chosen people.”
16. From early times, the concept of law was
central to the Israelites. The Torah set out
many laws. Some dealt with everyday matters
such as cleanliness and food preparation.
Israelite society was patriarchal---fathers and
husbands held great legal and moral
authority
The father or oldest male relative was head of
the household and arranged marriages for his
daughters
17. Women had few legal rights
At the heart of Judaism are the Ten
Commandments---set of laws that Jews
believe God gave them through Moses
At the heart of Judaism are the Ten
Commandments---set of laws that Jews
believe God gave Moses
The first four Commandments stress religious
duties toward God
The other six set out rules of conduct toward
other people
18.
19. Spiritual leaders emerged to interpret God’s
will
Prophets (such as Isaiah and Jeremiah)
warned that failure to obey God’s law would
lead their people to disaster
The prophets also preached a strong code of
ethics---moral standards of behavior
They urged both personal morality and social
justice, calling on the rich and powerful to
protect the weak and poor
