How Did Religion Affect The Hebrews?

About 500 years after the death of Abraham, his descendants through Isaac were living in Egypt as slaves. Genesis 37 to 50 tells the story of how this came about. The 10 oldest sons of Abraham's grandson Jacob disliked their younger brother Joseph so much that they found a way to sell him to traders who in turn sold him to an Egyptian officer as a slave. In his new land, Joseph went through a series of ups and downs and eventually became the prime minister of Egypt, the highest official under the king. God enabled Joseph to foresee an approaching time of famine, and used him to store up food and then distribute it during the famine. His political position made it possible for him to settle his father's family in Egypt's most fertile territory. Here they prospered for many years. However, the time came when the leaders of Egypt began to view the rapidly growing Israelite community as a threat. As a result, they made slaves of the Israelites, treating them with ever-increasing harshness. Finally, desperate because the descendants of Jacob continued to multiply, they issued an order that all their male babies be destroyed at birth. The first 12 chapters of Exodus tell the story of how the Lord responded to the cries of His people. He miraculously provided Moses to be their leader, sent 10 plagues on the Egyptians, helped the Israelites celebrate their first Passover, and led them out of the land of bondage. It appears that as they left for Canaan, they had no

Culture played a big role when it came to civilization and religion. The Hebrew culture was an example of that, it had some similarities and differences when it came to religion. “The Hebrew religious tradition had special significances: the covenant, law, and prophet” (Duiker/Spielvogel, 23). Sumerians elected a leader which was considered the king and priest. Islam and Christianity is monotheism, whereas the Hebrew believed more in nature. Hebrews, Islam, and Christianity all have different ways to teach, but they all have one book. The Hebrews are taught by the rabbis and use the Hebrew Bible. Islam are taught by the Imam and uses the Quran. Christians are taught by the pastors or preachers and uses the Bible. “Cultural and religious stability was equally precarious” (Andrea/Overfield, 83). Religion is based on having faith and to worship. Christianity and Islam are two major religions that grew out of Judaism.

In this story, God described to Moses what would occur if his people followed the laws He had commanded. This

25:8). The text tells us that the people of Israel were already under judgment and the plague had already begun but when Phineas killed Zimri and Cozbi, God stopped the plague. However, it was not stopped in time to keep twenty-four thousand from dying.

Branson notes that “His Response was to all the Midianites to oppress them for seven years. ”(Branson, 90) The oppression of the Israelites at this time was so strong that it forced them to hide in caves and in fortified areas. The Midianites’ path of destruction was extensive and took the land by storm. They utilized the use of camels for transportation “providing them elements of surprise and shock and battle.”

My torah portion is Shemot 1:1-6:1 and you can find it on pages 346-359 in the Plaut Commentary. At the beginning it list a group of people who came with Jacob to Egypt. After a while the Israelites are still in Egypt. There is a new Pharaoh who didn’t know Jacob and the peace between the old Pharaoh and Jacob. As time goes on the Israelites are growing in population and the Pharaoh got worried that some day they will overthrow them. Because of his fear he enslaves them. Then Pharaoh went to the midwives and told them if any Israelite women gave birth to a boy they must kill it but they may let the girls live. A mother was afraid that her child was going be killed by the Egyptians so she put him in a basket down the nile river. After a rough trip down the river he flouted right near the Pharaoh's daughter. She decided to raise him as her own. The baby's sister watched the whole time and asked Pharaoh's Daughter if she wanted a Israelite to take care of the child. Pharaoh's Daughter said “yes” so she went to fetch the mother of the child. Pharaoh's Daughter decided to name him Moses.

Far from being persuaded, Rameses doubles the Hebrews' workload. Moses inflicts nine of the Plagues of Egypt, but Rameses refuses to relent despite each plague being worse than the one before. Against Moses' warning (foreshadowing the final plague), Rameses makes it clear that he will never release the Hebrew slaves. Disheartened by Rameses' words, Moses prepares the Hebrews for the tenth and final plague, instructing them to sacrifice a lamb and mark the doorposts with the lamb's blood. That night, the final plague kills all the firstborn children of Egypt, including Rameses' son, while sparing those of the Hebrews. The next day, a grief-stricken Rameses, mourning the loss of his son, finally gives Moses permission to free the Hebrews. Moses breaks down crying from the guilt of hurting Rameses, and from hearing the cries of numerous families across the

Notice what happened in chapter 14 where everybody talks about Moses and Aaron, as Moses' frustration continues. Here the people whom God had delivered in specific answer to their prayer and delivered in miraculous ways, looked at the difficulty and said, “Would to God that we had never left Egypt. Would to God we had never even asked God to get us out of that slavery. Let's elect somebody to take us back.”

While out one day with his flock, Moses came upon a burning bush. That bush ended up being God. This is where God asks Moses to go back to Egypt to ask the Pharaoh to let his people go. Moses hesitates and asks God how and why him. During his conversation with God, Moses is convinced that he must do what the

Pharaoh was very stubborn and refused to let the Israelites go. Also, not believing what Moses was presenting to him in explaining Yahweh is very powerful. Pharaoh presented options to Moses making three attempts to solve the issue. Moses politely declined each offer Pharaoh presented to him. Moses refused to approve any of the offers Pharaoh presented to him mainly because none of the offerings came close to meeting the needs Moses had for his people.

Context: Moses was called upon by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and away from their brutal and hard labor. Their faith in the Lord’s power significantly grew as they have experienced the plagues sent upon Egypt to punish the Pharaoh, and the separation of the Red Sea. However, the Israelite’s faith soon began to plummet when they reached the mountain of Sinai. The people disobeyed the Ten Commandments by worshipping a golden calf, formed by Aaron, Moses’s brother.

Which was a curse from the Lord for Ahab not following Gods commands. Another way Ahab and his wife disobeyed the Lord was when Ahab was greedy with his land and vineyards. When his wife found out that her husband was displeased, she wanted to make him happy. So she plotted the murder of Naboth so Ahab could have the vineyard he wanted. Ahab and Jezebel’s consequence for their actions was they would “not get any fruit from the land no matter how much they planted.” (Deuteronomy 28:44) At this point in Ahab’s life God tries to convince and show Ahab that he needs to give up paganism, but he does not listen. So, the Lord sends Elijah to give Ahab and Jezebel the opportunity to repent, but Elijah also warned them about their death and “how dogs would be there to lick up their blood and devour them.” (1 kings 21:19) Jezebel ended up dying and dogs were there to lick up her blood. Then when Elijah and Ahab finally meet in person Elijah warns Ahab that if

"God spoke to Moses and said to him, ‘I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. Say therefore to

Despite the fact that the Hebrews were enslaved for many years, they still managed to become a strong and successful civilization. The Hebrews advanced their own society and influenced current society by having an unique civilization setting an example for current society. One of the “fathers” of the Hebrews was said to have a covenant with God ,they were able to get out of slavery from the egyptians and move to a land with many resources , and everyone followed 10 commandments, which were believed to be sent from God.

God again speaks to Moses during the Golden Calf incident and its aftermath, as recorded in Exodus 32-34. In Exodus 32, God reveals that He is just, but also compassionate. He did not wipe out the entire Israelite nation as they deserved; moreover, He later called Aaron to be the high priest of the tabernacle, even though he had led the people in the rebellion against God in Exodus 32. Later,