The Israelite

s

Geography and Demography

• Extends from the western edge of the Assyrian Empire to the “Upper Sea”

• Negev and Sinai Desert Wastelands• Hills of Shephelah and Galilee

• Relatively fertile• Jordan River and The Dead Sea• Land also known as Palestine and Canaan• Peoples called Israelites, Hebrews, and Jews• Crossroads linking Anatolia, Egypt, Arabia, and

Mesopotamia• Place of significance throughout history

• Few natural resources

Geography and Demography

• Hebrew – Semitic Language• Related to Phoenician & Aramaic

Languages• Language parallels ethnic relations

Historical Documentation and Discoveries

• Archaeological excavations• The royal annals of Egypt and Assyria• The Hebrew Bible contains information about the

history of Israel compiled from many sources– Different interpretations of past events– Orally transmitted until the 6th century BCE– Canonical text first appears around the 5th century BCE

• Some text added later but very little• Reflects the views of those in control of The Temple• Accuracy can be debated but few other options exist

History and the Hebrew Bible• Hebrew Bible tells the story of Abraham, Isaac,

and Jacob

• Israel promised to Abraham by Yahweh– Story of Abraham may compress the journey of

generations to who moved through the grazing lands between the Tigris & Euphrates and the Mediterranean

• Other stories may also parallel the conflict between the newly arrived Israelites and the settled peoples of the area– Cain and Abel as well as Sodom and Gomorrah

History and the Hebrew Bible• According to the Hebrew Bible many

Israelites were taken as slaves by the Egyptians– Biblical account skips over the period of time

when the Hyksos ruled over Egypt• Rise and fall of the Hyksos in Egypt possibly connected to

the enslavement of Israelites

– Egyptian records mention Apiru slaves• Class rather than ethnicity

– Coincided with ambitious building projects

• Moses leading the freed Israelites from Egypt, although filled with folklore, could be the result of oral stories of the emigration evolving over time

History and the Hebrew Bible

• The freed Israelites , led by Joshua, attacked and destroyed Jericho and other Canaanite Cities– 1250-1200 BCE– Unified Israelite attack on

Canaan is a point of contention among scholars• Some believe that it is more

likely the Israelites and other groups simply took advantage of a period of widespread decline in cities in the region

History and the Hebrew Bible• The new peoples of the area created a common

ancestry in “The Children of Israel”– Common at the time

• Land split between 12 Tribes Descended from the sons of Joseph and Jacob– Each tribe had one or more chiefs– Judges – A class of charismatic figures, War heroes, or

Skilled arbitrators who transcended tribal boundaries– Tribes bound together by access to the shrine at Shiloh

that housed the Ark of the Covenant

History and the Hebrew Bible

• As the Israelites arrived in their new home the Mediterranean area was in a period of Chaos

• The Philistines and Israelites fought frequently – Wars immortalized in biblical

stories like those of David and Samson

History and the Hebrew Bible

UNIFICATION

• Saul’s throne handed over to David who unified the Israelites under a monarchy– Capital city moved to Jerusalem along with the Ark– Jerusalem becomes a unified center for politics and religion

• David created “cities of refuge” where people could flee from retribution and blood feuds

• Record keeping and government innovations• Expanded Israel’s borders through military victories

History and the Hebrew Bible

UNIFICATION

• Peak of ancient Israel civilization came under King Solomon– Created Alliances with

neighboring cultures– Built and deployed a fleet of

ships to bring treasure, materials, and exotic animals to Israel

– The Mythical visit from the Queen of Sheba reflects the trade relationship with Seba and the people of the Horn of Africa

– First Temple completed in 960 BCE

CULTURE• Lived with extended family under the authority of the

eldest male• Marriages were arranged• The brother of a sonless man was expected to marry

his brother’s wife should he die• Women provided many vital services and were

regarded with respect– Relatively equal status with their husbands

• Some restrictions: Divorce, Inheritance, extra-marital affairs

– Deborah the Judge fought alongside men and led troops against the Canaanites

• Women could be educated• The reality of women’s rights in Israel obscured by

male bias in biblical text• Urbanization diminished women’s status

Division and Fall• Split in to two kingdoms after the death of

Solomon– Israel in the north and Judah in the south– Sometimes at war and other times allies

• Syria and Israel united in response to Neo-Assyrian aggression– Israel destroyed and its people deported– New ethnicities were brought in and Israel was stripped

of much of the religion and culture of the Israelites– Would be separated from the Jewish people and their

culture for much of history

Division and Fall• Judah survives the Neo-Assyrians

– The Temple destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar of the Neo-Babylonian empire in 587 B.C.E.

• The Jewish Diaspora originates at this time– Synagogues and other institutions allow the Jewish People

to maintain connections and keeps their religion and culture alive

• Babylonian Jews returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt the Temple (The Second Temple) in 515 BCE– Established the Deuteronomic code– Hebrew bible compiled– With Isolation came a strong sense of community that

survives today