Hebrews

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Hebrews Judaism
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HEBREWS

• Small group of people who had a great influence
  on world history
• Their religion became known as Judaism, and is
  the parent religion of Christianity and Islam,
  which (together) are well over ½ of the worlds
  people!!
• The early part of this story can be viewed as
  fact or myth. Viewed as either, it is very
  important.

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c. 2000BC ABRAHAM/ IBRAHIM-1st Patriarch

• Abraham came to believe in one God, with no
  physical form
• At Gods command, he wife Sarah left Sumer
  settled in Canaan
• CanaanPalestine Israel
• God made a covenant with Abraham Abraham
  would obey God, and God would make him the father
  of many people who would be a blessing to the
  world.

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ABRAHAM/ IBRAHIM

• Had two sons
• Ishmael became ancestor of Arabs
• Isaac became ancestor of the Hebrews. Isaac had
  a son Jacob who had 12 sons. Their descendants
  became the 12 Tribes of Israel.

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Slavery in Egypt

• c. 1700BC There is a famine, so the Hebrews
  leave Canaan go to Egypt. (story of Joseph)
• At first the pharaoh treats them well lets them
  settle in Egypt. A later pharaoh turns against
  them and makes them slaves.
• c. 1200BC Moses/Moshe/Musa frees the Hebrews
  from slavery leads them out of Egypt, and into
  the desert of the Sinai peninsula. The journey
  out of
• Egypt is called the exodus. Egypt is the

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RETURN TO CANAAN

• c. 1200 Moses climbs Mt. Sinai, gets the Ten
  Commandments, laws revealed by God, setting out
  the moral duty to God and other people.
• God renewed the covenant (sacred agreement) with
  the Hebrews they would obey Him, and He would
  give them the land of Canaan as their home.
• Hebrews put the Ten Commandments in a special box
  called the Ark of the Covenant

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RETURN TO CANAAN

• Hebrews returned to Canaan. Fought with the
  Canaanites and other local people.
• Defeated the Canaanites settled.
• They were a loose confederation of tribes, but
  gradually became more united.
• The nation was called Israel. Their with
  leaders were called Judges.
• Prophets tried to warn the people when they did
  not keep the law.

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1000 BC KINGS

• Hebrews eventually chose kings
• Saul-war leader
• David-most famous king war leader, who
  established Jerusalem as the capital
• Solomon-known for wealth wisdom ( many wives).
  Built the 1st Temple in Jerusalem

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DIVISION

• The leaders after Solomon could not agree, and
  the original nation of Israel split into 2 parts
• 10 northern tribes kept the name Israel, and
  established a capital at Samaria
• 2 southern tribes took the name Judah, and kept
  the old capital at Jerusalem. They became known
  as the Jews.

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DEFEAT

• 722BC- The fierce Assyrians attacked Israel
  (northern tribes), conquered them and annihilated
  most of their people
• Miraculously, the Assyrians did not attack
  conquer Judah
• Later, 587BC The Chaldeans (who had meanwhile
  defeated the Assyrians) attacked conquered
  Judah.
• The Chaldeans destroyed the temple and took the
  people of Judah to Babylon as captives.

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CYRUS TO THE RESCUE

• 539BC Cyrus the Great of Persia defeated the
  Chaldeans.
• Cyrus proclaimed freedom to the people captured
  by the Chaldeans, including the Jews, allowed
  them to return home, and gave them assistance in
  rebuilding their temple.

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DEVELOPMENT OF JUDAISM

• Hebrew Scriptures (Called the Old Testament by
  Christians)
• Torah (1st five books of the Old Testament)
• History of Jewish people
• Writings that include poetry and prophesy

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LAW

• Mosaic laws include the 10 Commandments
• Similar to Hammurabis code, but place a higher
  value on human life and include laws requiring
  charity to the poor.
• Ethical monotheism (main contribution)
• Belief in a single God
• Belief that God wants people to behave ethically.
  

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Evolving view of God

• At first, the Hebrews regarded God as a force to
  be obeyed feared.
• Began to believe in free will, that God gives a
  choice between good and evil. People have free
  will to choose.
• Gradually, they began to believe that people
  should love God and obey him out of love, not
  just fear.

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• The Hebrews viewed God as a spirit, not as having
  a human or animal form.