Ancient Israel

1
Ancient Israel Pt 1

• As the various Mesopotamian groups came and went,
  one Fertile Crescent group successfully emerged
  from ancient history to stay they are known as
  the Israelites from Ancient Israel
• There are many names used to describe the people
  of Ancient Israel
• Israelites is the most commonly used name but
  Hebrews or Jews or Jewish people are also
  used in the historical narratives
• The Israelite religion is known as Judaism, and
  people that believe in Judaism are called Jews -
  Hebrew is also used as the name of the language
  of the Israelites and of Judaism
• The word Israelite means he who has wrestled
  w/God
• Many people in Western civilization are familiar
  w/the Israelites primarily due to the wide
  recognition of the Hebrew Bible
• (Tanakh in Hebrew), which tells the narrative of
  their story

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A Breakdown of the Hebrew Bible
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• In the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible, the
  God of the Israelites (known in Hebrew by many
  names, Hashem is probably the most common)
  appeared before a man named Abraham of Ur
• This incident occurred approximately between 1950
  BCE and 1300 BCE
• According to the Torah, God said to Abraham
  Leave your own country and go to a country that
  I will show you. I will make you into a great
  nation.
• The Biblical account relates that Abraham did as
  he was asked - after much travel, Abraham
  reached an area of land called Canaan and God
  appeared again, saying I give this land to
  your descendants.

4

• Abraham and his people entered into a formal
  agreement or covenant (brit in Hebrew) w/their
  God
• The Israelites agreed to worship their God and
  only their God, and in return, they would be
  their Gods Chosen People and be given the land
  of Canaan as their Promised Land
• This began the monotheistic tradition of Judaism
• To symbolize this covenant, God told Abraham that
  all Jewish males must perform a ritual called a
  brit milah

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Ancient Israel Pt 2

• The Hebrew Bible continues w/the story of Abraham
  his family
• A major famine drought in Canaan caused the
  Israelites to leave and migrate south to Egypt -
  many historians believe that a sizable Hebrew
  population lived in the Nile Delta from about
  1500-1250 BC
• Some historians also believe that the Israelites
  moved into Egypt specifically at the time when
  the Hyksos had taken over Egypt
• The Israelites lived peacefully in Egypt until
  they were eventually enslaved (no specific reason
  is given as to why) by the Pharaohs who used them
  as laborers on numerous building projects (not
  the Pyramids!)
• When Pharaoh decreed that all male Hebrew babies
  were to be drowned, a baby named Moses is floated
  down the Nile in a basket
• Hearing a crying child, Pharaoh's daughter pities
  the baby and adopts him
• He is raised as an Egyptian but as a young man,
  Moses discovers the truth flees
• God, appearing as a burning bush not consumed by
  flame, commands Moses to go to Egypt and demand
  of Pharaoh "Let my people go."

6

• Pharaoh resists Moses' petition through God,
  Moses unleashes 10 plagues upon Egypt (see
  packet)
• When the last plague strikes, Moses instructs the
  Jews to cover their door posts w/the blood of a
  lamb as a sign for God to protect/pass over the
  Jewish homes this is why the holiday
  commemorating the Exodus from Egypt is called
  Passover
• Pharaoh then releases the Israelites and they
  head east toward the sea
• Moses, using Gods power, parts the sea for the
  people to cross when Pharaohs army follows,
  Moses closes the sea, drowning the Egyptians
• Moses then begins the journey back to the
  Promised Land the Jews wander in the Sinai
  Desert for 40 years
• During the journey back, Moses climbs up Mt.
  Sinai and returns w/the 5 books of the Torah as
  well as the Ten Commandments, which contain the
  basic laws of Judaism

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Ancient Israel Pt. 3

• After the Exodus, the Israelites re-entered the
  Canaan, changed its name to Israel, and
  organized themselves into 12 tribes
• The tribes became involved in conflict w/the
  Philistines, a group south of Israel - to deal
  w/the Philistines, the Israelites appointed a
  king, Saul , who was a disaster
• He was replaced by David, who went on to become
  the most successful Israelite King
• In 1000 BCE, King David united the tribes,
  defeated Israels enemies established Jerusalem
  as the Israelite capital
• Davids son Solomon (971-931 BCE) did even more
  to strengthen Israel - Solomon is best known for
  his construction of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem

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• The Israelites viewed the Temple as the symbolic
  home of Judaism the innermost room of the
  Temple, a sanctuary known as the Holy of
  Holies," housed the Ark of the Covenant , a chest
  which contained the original Ten Commandments
  original 5 books of the Torah

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• Solomon's building required him to tax the
  Israelites heavily
• Upon his death (approx. 926 BCE) the 10 northern
  tribes revolted and established their own nation
  called the Kingdom of Israel (they took the name
  too!)
• The two southern tribes then established their
  own nation called it the Kingdom of Judah
• Because of the split, the Israelites as a whole
  became much weaker and more vulnerable to outside
  attackshint, hint!!!!

10

• The power of the northern kingdom of Israel
  declined, and by around 800 BCE, it was forced to
  pay tribute to the powerful Assyrian Empire
• Eventually, would not suffice - the Assyrians
  overran the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BCE
  (see primary source reading)

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• The southern kingdom of Judah was also forced to
  pay tribute to Assyria but managed to survive as
  an independent state
• However, Judah remained a target - the Chaldeans,
  who had conquered the Assyrians, turned their
  attention to Judah
• Under King Nebuchadnezzar, the Chaldeans
  conquered Judah and completely destroyed
  Jerusalem and the Holy Temple_in 586 BCE
• Most Jews were sent into exile in Chaldea to live
• Upon the destruction of the Chaldeans by the
  Persians and Cyrus the Great in 538 BCE, the Jews
  were allowed to return _home_to make a 2nd Holy
  Temple (see primary source reading)

12

• Judah remained independent until it and the
  entire FC was conquered by Alexander the Great in
  332 BCE - the Greeks gave Judah a new name -
  Judea
• Judea lived under Greek rule for 200 yrs until it
  was conquered made part of the Roman Empire in
  64 BCE
• In 66 CE, Judea revolted in 70 CE, the Romans
  crushed the rebellion and destroyed the 2nd Holy
  Temple it was never to be rebuilt again
• The only part left of the Temple is its Western
  Wall, which is the holiest place in Judaism today
• The Romans dispersed as many Jews as they could
  away from Judea - this large dispersal of Jews
  living outside of Israel was/still is called the
  Diaspora
• In 1948 CE, (1,878 years later) the modern-day
  nation of Israel was created as homeland for Jews
  from around the World