They believed in one God who set down moral laws for His people. They recorded their history in the Hebrew Bible.
Ancient Israelites
Ancient Israel
Monotheism Spoke HebrewJudaism – Jews
Influenced Christianity and IslamHelped shape beliefs and practices of societies in
Europe and AmericaHebrew language
Wrote down their history and religious beliefs in the Hebrew Bible known as the Old Testament
Herders and tradersCame from Mesopotamia to Canaan (present day
Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan)Descendents of Abraham
Who were the Israelites?
God (Yahweh) told him to leave Mesopotamia and go to Canaan.
God’s promise (covenant)Lived in Canaan for 100 years then a drought
occurred and some went to Egypt
Abraham
Abraham’s grandsonAlso called Israel – means “one who struggles
with God”Later given to his descendants12 sons divided into tribes (12 tribes of Israel)
Jacob
Israelites were enslaved to build pyramids for the Pharaoh.
Baby boys –Nile RiverMoses – tended sheepBurning bush10 plagues
From Slavery to Freedom
1. Turn Water to blood2. Frogs3. Lice4. Flies5. Disease on livestock6. Boils 7. Hail8. Locusts9. Darkness10. Death of 1st born of all Egyptian humans and animalsExodus 7:19 -11:5
10 Plagues
Known as the ExodusPassover, Jewish holiday celebrates this event
Parting of the Red Sea
Sinai DesertMount Sinai – where Moses received laws
from God or the Torah
Journey to Canaan
Later became the 1st part of the Hebrew BibleTorah described a covenant (agreement) with
God in which God promised to return the Israelites to Canaan if they followed His laws.
Explained what God considered to be right and wrong
Ten Commandments
Torah
Shaped basic moral laws of many nationsHelped develop a belief in the “rule of law”–
idea that laws should apply to everyone equally
Exodus 20:1-17
Ten Commandments
How many of the commandments tell people how to interact with other people?6 (commandments
5-10)How many tell them
how to worship and show respect for God?4 (commandments
1-4)
Ten Commandments
A gold-plated wooden box (acacia wood)45” long and 27” wide and 27” deep4 gold rings on corners with 2 gold rings on
side where poles of acacia wood overlaid in gold were used to carry it
Contents: stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were carved, a golden pot of manna from the wilderness journey, and Aaron’s rod
Most sacred artifact of the Israelites
Ark of the Covenant
40 years Moses never lived to see it.Joshua – new leaderHad to fight to regain itJericho
marched around walls for 6 days while 7 priests blew their trumpets
on 7th day – trumpets blew one last time and Israelites raise a great shout
3 more warsLand divided by 12 tribes
The Promised Land
LeadershipUsually a military leaderCommanded 1 or 2 tribes (seldom all 12)Barak, Gideon, Samuel, Eli, Samson, and others
including DeborahDeborah told Barak to attack the army of the
Canaanite king Jabin and went along to battlefield as an adviser.
King Jabin was destroyed around 1125 B.C.Walled towns for protectionCreated an alphabet
Judges
Phoenicians were skilled sailors and traders (with Greece, Spain, and western Africa).
Spread ideas and goods like an alphabetAlphabet made writing simpler and easier to
keep records.Brought the idea to Greeks who passed it on
to the Romans which is the basis for most Western alphabets
Phoenician Alphabet
Review1. Why was the religion of Israel unique in the
ancient world?2. What is the Torah, and how did the
Israelites obtain it?3. What was the importance of the Phoenician
alphabet?4. What problems did the Israelites face when
they returned to Canaan?5. Which one of the Ten Commandments do
you think is most important today?
Jewish
Ideas
Belief in one god
Ten Commandment
s
Hebrew Bible
Belief that God gave
Canaan to the Jews
Creation of the kingdom of Israel; its great kings (Saul, David, and Solomon); and the challenges
Israel faced
The Kingdom of Israel
The Israelites choose a King
Similar to Philistines, strongest people living in Canaan who had strong cities and knew how to make iron tools and weapons
B/c they copied the Philistines, they felt they needed a king as well. (believed it would unite them against their enemies)
1020 B.C. – Samuel asked to choose a king.What is a prophet?Samuel’s warningSamuel anointed their choice, Saul (warrior-
farmer) as king. What does this mean?Saul – tall, handsome, and had won many
battlesSaul disobeyed some of God’s commands.Samuel was instructed by God to anoint a
new king (David) in secret.
The Rule of Saul
Known for his bravery and leadership David and GoliathPut in charge of army by Saul“Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten
thousands.”Took throne in 1000 B.C.Drove Philistines from the areaCreated an empireTributeHeavy taxes to expand Israel’s capital, Jerusalem.temple
David
David’s sonBuilt splendid stone temple in JerusalemIn Hebrew Bible, he is known for his
proverbs.
Solomon
Wise sayingsHappy the man who finds wisdom, the man
who gains understanding!-- Proverbs 3:13
If you are wise, it is to your own advantage; and if you are arrogant, you alone shall bear it.-- Proverbs 9:12
Hatred stirs up disputes, but love covers all offenses.-- Proverbs 10:12
Proverbs
Between the devil and the deep sea To choose between two equally bad alternatives in a serious
dilemma. Where there's a will there's a way When a person really wants to do something, he will find a way of
doing it. A burnt child dreads fire A bad experience or a horrifying incident may scar one's attitude
or thinking for a lifetime. First come, first served The first in line will be attended to first. A friend in need is a friend indeed A friend who helps when one is in trouble is a real friend. "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak
out and remove all doubt.” -- Abraham Lincoln
Proverbs
1. "Well done is better than well said"2. "A lie stands on one leg, the truth on two"3. "God helps those who help themselves"4. "A penny saved is a penny earned"5. "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy,
wealthy, and wise"6. "There is no little enemy"7. "It is hard for an empty sack to stand upright"8. "When the well is dry, they know the worth of water"9. "Drive the business, let not drive thee"10. "Kill no more pigeons than you can eat"11. "The sleeping fox catches no poultry"12. "Think of the things, whence you came, where are
you going, and to whom you must account"13. "Energy and persistence conquer all things"
Benjamin Franklin’s proverbs
Many Israelites hated his rule.Taxed people to pay for his great buildings
List positive and negative aspects of paying taxes.
Made young men work in mines of neighboring countries to make more money
Death – 10 of 12 tribes set up their own nation in the north
Solomon continued
10 tribes created a new kingdom in N called Israel --- capital was Samaria
2 tribes founded a smaller kingdom called Judah --- capital was Jerusalem --- people were Jews
Which kingdom lost access to the Mediterranean?
Which shares a border with Phoenicia?
Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
Kingdoms felt threatened by their powerful neighbors. Prophets brought hope – emphasizing that people should please God by leading a moral life and helping others.
Assyrians and Chaldeans were building empires in SE Asia
Israel722 B.C. – were
conquered by the Assyrians scattering the 10 tribes across their empire.
New culture developed called Samaritans.
“lost tribes of Israel”
The Fall of the Kingdoms
Lost Tribes of Israel
Israel was conquered by Assyrians in 722 BC and the scattered people were known as the ‘Lost Tribes of Israel’
JudahJudaism developed from the religious practices
of the tribes of Judah.620 B.C. – conquered by Egyptians keeping
their king but paying tribute to EgyptChaldeans conquered Egypt.
The Fall of the Kingdoms
Chaldean king597 B.C. – captured Jerusalem punishing the
Jews severelyMade 10,000 Jews leave Jerusalem and move
to Babylon, Chaldean capital.Appointed a new Jewish kingProphet Jeremiah warned the new Jewish king
that planning a revolt would be dangerous. 586 B.C. – destroyed temple; Babylonian
captivity
King Nebuchadnezzar
Review1. Why did the Assyrians and the Chaldeans
want to control the land belonging to the Israelites?
2. Why was David anointed king while Saul was still in charge of the Israelites?
3. Who were the prophets, and why were they important to the Israelites?
4. What happened to the Israelites after the death of Solomon?
5. Who were the Samaritans?6. Why do you think the Assyrians, and later the
Chaldeans, moved Jews away from Israel and Judah after those areas were conquered?
King David King Solomon
King David King SolomonDrove the Philistines from Israel and created an empire
Built a temple in Jerusalem
Built Jerusalem Known for his proverbs
Wrote many psalms
The Growth of JudaismJews continued their religion during their exile in
Babylon.
Babylonian exileTheir religion became known as Judaism.SabbathSynagogues
Exile and Return
Ruins of the Ancient Synagogue at Bar'am
Belz Great Synagogue in Jerusalem (largest)
The Torah Ark of the Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue
The Karaite Synagogue in the Old City (Jerusalem)
Why did the Jews Return to Judah?500s B.C. – Persians defeated Chaldeans and
Babylon538 B.C. – Persian king Cyrus permitted Jews
to return to Judah.Rebuilt Jerusalem and the templeReligious leadersScribesTorahHebrew Bible
Series of 34 books collected The Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings –
added laterBooks of poetry, literature, and proverbsGenesis
What is in the Hebrew Bible?
1st book of TorahNoah, ark, FloodRainbow Babel
Genesis
God’s plan for a peaceful futureBook of DanielJews believed that evil and suffering would
eventually be replaced by goodness. Christians and Muslims share this idea of good triumphing over evil.
334 B.C. – Alexander the Great 331 B.C. – he defeated the Persians and introduced the Greek language and ways to Judah.
Looking toward the future
Jews – Babylon, Egypt, lands bordering Mediterranean Sea
This is known as Diaspora --- scattering of Jews outside of Israel and Judah
Greek word that means “scattered.”
Jews learned Greek language and ways but remained loyal to Judaism.
Diaspora
168 B.C. – Greek ruler Antiochus controlled Judah.
Jews made to worship Greek gods and goddess.
Judas Maccabeus, a priest, along with followers rebelled.
The MaccabeesHanukkah
Maccabees
Shaped by religion
Laws affected daily life
Jewish Culture
Great importanceSons – valued especially
carried on family name Became head of household upon father’s death
Education1st teachers were their mothersElders took over religious education of boys
(Torah)Mothers educated daughters at home
Family life
Their relationship shows importance of family love and devotion.
Book of Ruth in Hebrew BibleNaomi wants to return home after death of
husband and sons.Ruth to Naomi – “Wherever you go, I will go;
wherever you lodge; I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.”
Boaz marries Ruth and they have Obed.Obed is the grandfather of David.
Ruth and Naomi
Under Jewish law, Jews could only eat certain animals.
Beef and lamb, not porkscaly fish like salmon not shellfish or smooth
skin fish like eelLaws – kashrut – “that which is proper”Kosher Ancient times – meals were made up of fish,
fruit, veggies, and barley bread. Beverages were mainly milk, water, wine, and beer.
Jewish Diet
Jewish ClothingNo mixing of fabricsFlax or wool but not combinedMen
tunics made of linen next to their skin (some layered)
Cold weather – wool or sheepskin cloaksHeads – caps or turbanssandals
WomenDraped in long, simple dressesCovered heads with shawlsWealthy wore leather shoes, makeup, and jewelry
Under Roman rule, the Jews were divided and rebellious. In response, the Romans destroyed the
temple and exiled the Jews.
The Jews and the Romans
Most famous kingKnown for additions made to Jewish temple in
JerusalemDivision after the Herod’s death
King Herod
Pharisees and SadduceesTaught the Torah
and how to apply its laws to daily life
Taught in synagogues and were supported by the common people
Support of the oral traditionsBelieved these were
very important in helping people obey the commandments
Accepted the TorahMore concerned
about how it applied to priests in Temples
Disagreed with Pharisees teachings
Emphasized written law and commandments
A 3rd groupPriests who broke away from the Temple in
JerusalemDesertPraying and waiting for God to deliver the
Jews from the RomansStrictly followed written law
Essenes
Ancient scrolls found in A.D. 1947 in caves near the Dead
SeaHelped historians know more about Judaism
during Roman times
Dead Scrolls
Waiting for a messiahZealotsA.D. 66 –Zealot revolt JewsA.D. 70 – Romans retook Jerusalem killing
thousands of Jews.Revolted again in A.D. 132Ended in 3yrs – Romans forbade Jews to live
in or visit JerusalemPalestine
Jewish Revolts
Rabbis – teachers of the TorahYohanan ben Zaccai – famous rabbi
Founded a school in northern Palestine – center of Torah studies
Commentaries (Talmud – Hebrew word for “learning or study”)
A.D. 1947 – Palestine dividedIsrael – A.D. 1948
Jewish Teachers
So that lives could be saved and certain important business carried out on the Sabbath, etc.
Review1. How did Alexander the Great affect the
Israelites?2. What was Diaspora?3. What was education like within a Jewish
family?4. Who was Yohannan ben Zaccai, and why
was he important?5. Do you think that Jewish beliefs and
values would have spread so widely if the lands of Israel and Judah had not been conquered by other peoples? Explain.
1. God exists. 2. God is one and unique. 3. God is eternal. 4. Prayer is to be directed to God alone. 5. The words of the prophets are true. 6. Moses was the greatest prophet, and his prophecies are true. 7. The Torah was given to Moses. 8. There will be no other Torah. 9. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men. 10. God will reward the good and punish the wicked. 11. The Messiah will come. 12. The dead will be resurrected.
Impact of Ancient IsraelCovenant = formal agreement
between Hebrews and God (Yahweh); Hebrews worshipped God and only God, and in return, they would be God’s Chosen People and given Canaan as the Promised Land
Spiritual ideas profoundly influenced Western culture, morality, ethics and conduct
Three of the world’s most dominant religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam all derive their roots from the spiritual beliefs of the Ancient Israelites