Beginnings of the Hebrew People

 Take out your Lesson 6.1 Outline and your vocabulary sheet

 Abram in his early life – was born in Mesopotamia in about 2000 B.C.  Mesopotamians believed in many gods, but Abram believed in one God.  According to the Hebrew Bible, God spoke to Abram, telling him to leave Mesopotamia and settle with his family in Canaan.

 After traveling across the desert, Abram and his family reached Canaan. There, the Bible says, Abram heard God say, “I will assign this land to your offspring.”  The Bible says that God made a covenant with Abram. In this special agreement, God promised that Canaan would always belong to Abram and his descendants.

 Abraham’s son Isaac had a son named Jacob. Jacob had 12 sons and loved Joseph the most.  Joseph’s brothers feared him, so they cast him off to Egypt.  Joseph lived for many years in Egypt. Although the Egyptians worshipped many gods, Joseph continued to follow Abraham’s religion, worshipping God only.

 Joseph and his brothers reunited after famine struck Canaan, and they ended up in Egypt in search of food.  In time, life in Egypt changed for the Israelites. The pharaoh of later times feared the Israelites might gain power in Egypt. As a result, the pharaoh enslaved the Israelites.

 Moses was born a Hebrew, but raised by the pharaoh as an Egyptian. Moses eventually demanded his freedom, but was denied by the pharaoh, and God sent down ten plagues, or disasters, to Egypt.  Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt to escape slavery. This was known as the Exodus.

 Turn to page 208 of your textbook and let’s read about the holiday of Passover.

 After departing Egypt, the Israelites traveled on the Sinai Peninsula along the Red Sea. They wandered for 40 years, facing shortages of water and food.

 The Bible says that God spoke to the Israelites at Mount Sinai along their route. There, God renewed his covenant with the Israelites. God also presented Moses with two stone tablets carved with a set of laws called the Ten Commandments.

What was Abraham’s main religious belief?

 Abraham believed in Judaism, the religion of the Jewish people. Judaism was the first religion based on monotheism, the concept of one God who set down moral laws for humanity.

Why was the development of Judaism by the ancient Hebrews important?

 Judaism was the first religion based on monotheism, the concept of one God, who set down laws for humanity. These laws provide rules to help people live good lives.

 What are the sources of the story of the ancient Hebrews? By whom are they used today?

 The story of the ancient Hebrews is told in the Torah, which is part of the Hebrew Bible. It is used today by Jewish people. The Hebrew Bible contains the same text as the Old Testament.

Why did the Israelites move to Egypt?

 They moved to Egypt because there was a famine in Canaan, and they traveled to Egypt for food.

 Describe the route of the Hebrews and the events of the Exodus. Where did they go? Where did they end up?

 After departing from Egypt, the Israelites traveled on the Sinai Peninsula along the Red Sea. They wandered for 40 years, often facing food and water shortages. They renewed their covenant with God at Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

Why were the Ten Commandments important to the Israelites?

 The Ten Commandments differed from earlier laws, which described crime and punishments for those crimes. The Ten Commandments gave rules for responsible behavior and for worshipping God properly. The Ten Commandments were important to the Israelites because they gave the Israelites laws to live by.

 Open to page 207 of your textbooks, and let’s examine the 10 commandments.

 Who were some of the people and places you learned about today?  What significant events occurred?