Download The Ancient Hebrews and the Origins of Judaism

The Ancient Hebrews and
the Origins of Judaism
Torah
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Contains the stories of the Ancient
Hebrews and how they created
Judaism
Also contains their basic laws
Judaism’s Holy Book like the Bible in
the Holy Book in Christianity.
Consists of five books from the
Hebrew Bible, also known as the Old
Testament.
Read from right to left
Early History of the Hebrews
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Around 1950 BCE, Abraham and his
followers migrated from
Mesopotamia to Canaan.
Many of the people were herders.
Moved to Egypt in 1800 BCE
because of a famine.
Hebrews became slaves in Egypt
because the pharaoh felt threatened.
Abraham
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Father of the Hebrews
Introduced monotheism to his
people.
According the Torah, God told
Abraham to move him and his family
to Canaan.
God made many covenants to
Abraham, including one: Canaan will
be known as the Hebrew “promised
land.”
Abraham’s Sacrifice
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At the time it was common to
sacrifice animals to Gods.
God wanted Abraham to sacrifice his
son, Isaac. Abraham took his son to
be sacrificed before he was stopped
by God.
Contributions to Judaism: ancestor
of the Jewish people, introduced
monotheism, set an example on how
to live: God first.
Moses
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Leader and Prophet of the
Hebrews.
Moses freed the slaves from
Egypt after God punished Egypt
with 10 terrible plagues.
Flight from Egypt is known as
the Exodus: the escape from
Egyptian slavery.
Moses Contributions
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God gave Moses the 10
Commandments
These were rules on faith and
followed by basic moral laws:
honor your parents, etc.
The Ten Commandments
became Judaism's basic laws.
Moses also united the Hebrews
under one single God.
David and Solomon: Kings of
Israel
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Around 1000 BCE the Hebrews’
were fighting a war with the
Philistines.
The Philistines promised to be the
slaves of the Hebrews if their
toughest warrior was defeated;
Goliath. David defeated Goliath with
one shot from a slingshot.
His reward: God made him King and
promised that the kingdom would be
with him and his children always.
continued
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David united Israel and Judah: two
parts of the Hebrew land.
David also created a strong central
government. Gave the Kingdom an
army, courts, and government
officials.
Chose Jerusalem for his capital.
Brought home to Ark of the
Covenant: wood and gold chest that
held the Ten Commandments.
Solomon
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King David’s son
Became King and built a magnificent
temple in Jerusalem: held the covenant.
In order to build the temple, people were
forced to work and pay heavy taxes.
This angered the people, forcing them to
break away from the kingdom.
Solomon continued to rule over the
southern kingdom: Judah
David and Solomon’s
Contributions
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Laid the foundation for the
Jewish people to be ruled by
Kings for over 400 years.
David established Jerusalem as
a holy city.
Solomon built the first great
temple.