3.1 The First Israelites

Early Israelites• 1000 B.C. – ISR built Canaan

Who were the Israelites?

• Monotheism- belief in one god• Judaism- faith of ISR

– Jews- followers of Judaism– Judaism influenced- Christianity &

Islam

• Hebrew- language of ISR– Hebrew Bible- contains rel.

beliefs & history of ISR

• Canaan is present day- Lebanon, Israel, & Jordan

• Abraham- ISR believed their descendants – God promised land of Canaan to Abraham & followers

• Jacob (Israel)- Abraham’s grandson – Tribes separate family groups– Long drought forced ISR to leave Canaan and go to

Egypt

Slavery to Freedom• Moses mother hid him in a basket found by Pharaoh’s daughter

• Burning bush- God told Moses to led ISR to freedom– 10 plagues God sent to trouble EGY – Passover last plague kill all first-born excepted those with

lamb’s blood on their door (PASSed OVER)– Red Sea God parted for ISR to cross – drowned EGY

• Exodus name for ISR escape from EGY

Ten Commandments• Mount Sinai- received laws from God• Torah- laws• Covenant- agreement w/ God• Most important part of Torah- Ten Commandments

– Shaped our own laws– “rule of law” = idea laws apply to everyone equally

Describe the following images.

The Promised Land• 40 years to reach Canaan after leaving EGY

– Canaanites people now living in Canaan

• Joshua took over as leader after Moses died– Took the city with trumpets & shouting

• Fighting Judges- took over leadership after Joshua died– Deborah- female judge / battlefield adviser– ISR won control of hilly region and built walls to keep Canaanites

out

• Phoenicians (one group of Canaanites) skilled sailors & traders– Alphabet- group of letters– ISR created an alpha. Based on the Pho. alpha.

• Pho. Alpha. Impact – adopted by Greeks then Roman then most Western alpha. (like ours)

3.2 The Kingdom of Israel • Philistines strongest ppl living in

Canaan– Strength iron tools & weapons

• 12 tribes’ problem fighting among each other (needed a king)

• Prop. Samuel instructed to share God’s words– Samuel’s warning a King would tax ppl &

enslave

• 1st King warrior-farmer named Saul– Saul’s achievements won battles– Saul’s failures displeased God & was

replaced (David)

• David & Goliath – young shepherd boy defeated a giant w/ slingshot

• 1000 B.C. David crowned king & drove PHI out – Empire nation that rules

several other nations– Tribute forced payment

(money & slaves)– David’s unfinished dream

temple to house sacred religious objects

• Solomon son of David became king– Proverbs wise sayings

• Solomon’s achievement built temple

• Solomon’s failure taxed ppl & forced to work on building projects– Rebellion broke out after

Solomon died– 10 of 12 – in north became

kingdom of Israel– last 2 in south became kingdom

of Judah (capital Jerusalem & ppl Jews)

Troubled Time• Prob. of small & weak kingdoms

located on trade routes & had powerful neighbors

• Prop. Amos message work for a just society

• “lost tribes of Israel” tribes scattered by Assyrians

• Assyrians of Samaria - Samaritans• Samaritans feared God might punish

them for taking ISR land so they started following the ISR religion – Snobs Jews looked down on SAM– Believed SAM were not God’s ppl

• 620 B.C. Kingdom of Judah cap. By EGY

• 605 B.C. Chaldeans conq. EGY

• Egyptians and ISR united to fight CHAL

• King Neb.’s punishment – Jews must leave JER & live in Babylon, apt new king

• Prop. Jeremiah warned revolt would fail

• 586 B.C. revolt, CHAL ruler destroyed temple, chained king, forced Jews to BAB

• Babylonian Captivity- Jewish history

3.3 The Growth of Judaism

Exile & Return • Exile forced to live in a foreign land• Sabbath weekly day of worship & rest• Synagogues houses of worship• 538 B.C. King Cyrus allowed Jews to return to

Judah• Persian controlled government• Jews looked for leadership in religion• Ezra – scribe directed writing of 5 books of the

Torah

• Hebrew Bible- 5 books of Torah and 34 other books

• Genesis – 1st book of Torah tells of God punishing world for bad behavior– Noah build an ark (2 every animal & his family)

• Rainbow symbol of God’s promise to never destroy the world with a flood

• Tower of Babel- story of why there are different languages on Earth

• Daniel & Lion’s Den- God protected Daniel from lions (sym. Jews God would rescue them)

• Good triumphs over evil in the end (belief shared with Christians & Muslims)

Jews & the Greeks• 334 B.C. Alexander the Great began taking over

kingdoms around the Med.• 331 B.C. his armies defeated Persia (Judah came under

his control)• Jews outside of Judah known as the diaspora• Diaspora – people scattered• Greek translation of Hebrew Bible• Antiochus- Greek ruler controlled Judah• Judas Maccabeus & followers rebelled• Maccabees Judas’ army – they got rid of the Greek gods

& goddesses in temple (cleansed the temple)• Hanukkah- celebration of the cleansing of the temple

Jewish Way of Life• Jewish laws influenced daily life• Laws emphasized self-control and remind

Jews of their religion• Family Life – sons were valued because

they would carry on the family name• Education- mothers were 1st teachers,

– Male = fathers taught sons a trade & to worship God

– Female = learned to be good wives & mothers

• Ruth & Naomi show importance of family love & devotion

• Jewish diet kosher

• No cheeseburgers! Must not cook or eat milk products with meat

• Law even tells them how to dress

Jews & Romans

• 63 B.C Romans conquered Judah

• Judaea what Romans renamed Judah

• King Herod most famous ruler of Judaea

• 3 Splinter Groups– Ph taught how to apply law to daily life– Sad taught how law applied to priest– Ess lived in desert

• A.D. 1947 Dead Sea Scrolls found• Messiah – deliverer sent by God• Zealots wanted to fight Romans for freedom• A.D. 66 Zealots drove Romans out of Jerusalem

but lost 4 years later• Western Wall all that remains the temple• A.D. 132 Jews revolt again (lost again)• Creation of Palestine- Romans name it after the

Philistines that ISR had kicked out cent. ago

• Rabbis- teacher

• Johanan ben Zakkai founded Torah study schools

• Rabbis’ goal save and pass on teachings of Torah

• Talmud book record of Jewish law

• A.D. 1948 nation of ISR was created