THE HEBREWS
AND JUDAISM
THE EARLY HEBREWS
SECTION 1, TB 202-207
7th Social Studies
Mrs. Coldiron
THE EARLY HEBREWS
Hebrews appeared in Southwest Asia approx.
2000 – 1500 B.C.
 At first the Hebrews were simple herders
 Later they became a major influence on later
civlizations.

JUDAISM
Judaism
- the Hebrews’ religion
THE BEGINNINGS IN CANAAN
The Bible traces the Hebrews back
to Abraham
 God told Abraham to leave his
home in Mesopotamia.
 God promised to lead Abraham to a
new land and make his
descendants into a mighty nation.
 Abraham settled in Canaan.
 Abrahams descendants – the
Hebrews.

THE BEGINNINGS IN EGYPT
Some Hebrews moved to Egypt
 The Hebrews lived well
 Population increased
 The Egyptian ruler (pharaoh) feared that the
Hebrews might take over Egypt
 Result: the pharaoh made the Hebrews slaves.

THE EXODUS
Moses appeared among the
Hebrews in Egypt
 God told Moses to lead the
Hebrews out of Egypt to free
them from slavery.
 Moses led his people out of
Egypt in a journey called the
Exodus.

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
After their release, the Hebrews
wandered through the desert trying to
return to Canaan.
 Reached a mountain called Sinai.
 The Bible says, God gave Moses two
stone tablets.
 The tablets had the writings of a code
of moral laws – the Ten
Commandments

“I am God your Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, from the place of slavery.
Do not have any other gods before Me.
Do not take the name of God your Lord in vain.
God will not allow the one who take his
name in vain to go unpunished.
Remember the Sabbath to keep it holy.
Honor your father and mother. You will then live
long on the land that God your Lord is giving
you.
Do not commit murder.
Do not commit adultery.
Do not steal.
Do not testify as a false witness against your neighbor.
Do not be envious of your neighbor’s house.
Do not be envious of your neighbor’s wife…
or anything else that is your neighbor’s.”
- Exodus 20:2-14, from The Living Torah
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
The Hebrews agreed to worship
only God.
 Monotheism – worship of one
god.
 They agreed to value human life,
self-control, and justice.
 The commandments shaped the
development of Hebrew society.

THE RETURN TO CANAAN
According to the Bible
 The Hebrews wondered in the desert for 40 years
before the reached Canaan.
 After settling down in Canaan, the Hebrews became
known as the Israelites meaning “Soldiers of God”
 Lived in small communities
 No central government – selected judges as leaders
who enforced laws and settled disputes.
 Before long there was a threat for a new kind of
leadership.
ASSIGNMENT
Abraham and Moses Venn Diagram
Use the Venn Diagram to compare and contrast
the significance of Abraham and Moses in
Jewish history and to the development of
Judaism.