Early Hebrews

Possessed A Strong Centralizing Force

They Maintained The Law - in their Monotheistic Faith

Combined With A Stern Code Of Ethics - that set them apart from all their neighbours.

The Covenant Between God and Hebrews - made concrete by The Tabernacle and

The Agreement - bound The Tribes together in a Bond.

Organisation Central - a centrally located place called The Sanctuary surrounded by worshipers.

Concept Of The Temple City - used to convey the idea of an Organisation

Whose Ruler - was The Representative Of God and theoretically owned all land.

Privately Held Agricultural Land - being a rare exception.

Straining Against Religious Bond - were disruptive tribal forces.

Held In Leash By - a loose Alliance between The Tribes often severed by civil war.

The Children of The Hebrews also sustaining constant attacks launched by neighbours.

Hebrews Attained Political Solidarity For Salvation - from its foes

That Lay Only In - The Uniting of The Hebrew Tribes.

Names in The Hebrew Kings List - of 8 or 9 Kings or Leaders before Flood.

Term Hebrew or Ibri - meaning To Go Over or To Go Across

Meaning A Hebrew Would Be One Who Crossed Over - to The Land and/or

One Who Went From - place to place as a nomad or a wanderer.

Hiberu Means Outsider - might have referred to a great variety of migrants.

Hebrew - associated with word Hiberu

Found In Writing - sent to Egypt by One small State

That Egypt Had Left Behind - when it withdrew from The Land in the 1300's bc.

20th cent bc: Habiru - in cuneiform documents from 20th to 11th centuries bc used interchangeably with another word Sa. Gaz.

At Times Habiru Tribes Appear Settled - in specific locations

At Times They Serve In Armies - as mercenaries or are bound to masters as servants.

El Amarna Tablets Refer To Invaders - of Palestine as Apiru

A Word Close - to Habiru and Hebrew.

Term Hebrew Was 1st Used To Describe - foreigners

Who Crossed Into Settled Areas - referred not to a specific Group but to a Social Caste.

If The Word Hebrew Means - or is Habiru these Peoples on occasion were employed

At Times Created Settlements Of - their own and

At Other Times - are constantly attacked and sometimes return attacks to invaders.

Hebrew - Apiru - Habiru and Hebrew

Those Who Have Renounced A Relationship - to an existing Society

Who By A Deliberate Action - withdrawn from some Organization or rejected some Authority.

The Word Hebrew - becomes a Multi National Term or Terminology.

Hebrews Appear To Be - one or more branches of the Northwest Semitic Groups

Related Linguistically - to Canaanites Edomites Moabites and Gentiles

Who Moved From A Semi Nomadic Existence - to settled life in The Bronze Age.

Tribal Federations - Tribe Of Caleb United With Tribe Of Judah

When Confronted By Common Problems - or enemies Tribal Federations were formed

Tribal Activity In The Land - portrayed as a Twelve Tribe Federation called The Congregation.

Genesis 40:15 For indeed I was stolen away out of The Land Of The Hebrews and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon.

Genesis 43:32 They set on for him by himself and for them by themselves and for the Egyptians that did eat with him by themselves because the Egyptians might not eat bread with the Hebrews for that is an abomination to the Egyptians.

Exodus 2:6 When she had opened it she saw the child and behold the babe wept. She had compassion on him and said This is one of the Hebrews' children.

Exodus 2:13 When he went out the second day behold two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

Exodus 3:18 They shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come thou and the elders of Israel to the king of Egypt and ye shall say to him God of the Hebrews hath met with us and now let us go we beseech thee three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to God.

Exodus 5:3 They said God of the Hebrews hath met with us: let us go we pray thee three days' journey into the desert and sacrifice to God lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.

Exodus 7:16 Thou shalt say to him God of the Hebrews hath sent me to thee saying Let my people go that they may serve me in the wilderness and behold hitherto thou wouldest not hear.

Exodus 9:1 Then God said to Moses Go in to Pharaoh and tell him Thus saith God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me.

Exodus 9:13 God said to Moses Rise up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh and say to him Thus saith God of the Hebrews Let my people go that they may serve me.

Exodus 10:3 Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him Thus saith God of the Hebrews How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go that they may serve me.

1 Samuel 4:6 When the Philistines heard the noise of the shout they said What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? They understood that the ark of God was come into the camp.

1 Samuel 4:9 Be strong and quit yourselves like men O ye Philistines that ye be not servants to the Hebrews as they have been to you quit yourselves like men and fight.

1 Samuel 13:3 Jonathan smote the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba and the Philistines heard of it. Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land saying Let the Hebrews hear.

1 Samuel 13:7 Some of the Hebrews went over Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. As for Saul he was yet in Gilgal and all the people followed him trembling.

1 Samuel 13:19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears:

1 Samuel 14:11 Both of them discovered themselves to the garrison of the Philistines and the Philistines said Behold the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.

1 Samuel 14:21 Moreover the Hebrews that were with the Philistines before that time that went up with them into the camp from the country round about even they also turned to be with the Israelites that were with Saul and Jonathan.

1 Samuel 29:3 Then said the princes of the Philistines What do these Hebrews here? Achish said to the princes of the Philistines Is not this David the servant of Saul the king of Israel which hath been with me these days or these years and I have found no fault in him since he fell to me to this day?

Acts 6:1 In those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.

2 Corinthians 11:22 Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.

Philippians 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews as touching the law a Pharisee.

Philistines along with the Peleset - were used as garrison troops and mercenaries by Ramses III. Three other Peoples east of the Jordan River the Edomites in the south the Moabites east of the Dead Sea and Ammonites on the edge of the Syrian Desert east of Gilead.

Considered by the Hebrews as fellow Hebrews - these Peoples begun to settle down before the Hebrews invasion and they remained polytheists until the end of the Old Testament period.

Early Hebrews possessed a strong Centralizing Force - in their Monotheistic Faith combined with a stern Code of Ethics that set them apart from all their neighbours. Mosaic tradition of The Covenant between God and Hebrews made concrete by The Tabernacle and its ritual bound the tribes together in a bond resembling the later Greek amphictyonies. Organizations was a central Sanctuary surrounded by worshipers. Straining against religious bond were disruptive tribal forces held in leash by a loose alliance between tribes that were often severed by civil war also sustaining constant attacks launched by its neighbours. Hebrews would never have attained any political solidarity salvation from its foes lay only in union.

1020 bc: King Saul - King of all Hebrews - attempts made at one Man rule Saul became King of all Hebrews 1020 bc.

Saul defeated - Ammonites and the Philistines.

1000 bc: Saul killed in battle - against the Philistines.

990 bc: Hebrew Kingship was succeeded by David - King David crushed the Philistines 990 and conquered the three Hebrew States east of Jordan River. Intervention of the Aramaeans from Syria forced him to defeat and annex the States of Aram as far north as borders of Hamath on the Orontes. Farther east he established some control over nomadic tribes of the Syrian Desert as far as Euphrates. Hebrewsite domination was effective. At home David organized a stable administration based largely on Egyptian models according to tradition carried out a census of the Population. He died before he could complete his plans put into effect by his successor Solomon.

Royal activities - on such a vast scale - cost more than was produced by foreign trade - and the tribute of vassal States .

Hebrews were forced to submit to conscription - in Royal Labour Gangs as well as heavy levies of various kinds.

Hebrews Revolted after Solomon died - Peoples of northern Hebrews revolted after the great King's death disrupting United Monarchy.

The Kingdom of Hebrews - lasted for two full centuries - sharing - the worship of Yahweh and Mosaic tradition with smaller southern neighbour Judah.

After intermittent warfare between Judah and Hebrews King Asa - of Judah entered into an alliance with the growing Kingdom of Damascus that attacked northern Hebrews relieving pressure on Judah.

This move cost Hebrews its territory to the east of the Jordan River - and north of the Yarmuk River and ushered in a long series of wars between Hebrews and Damascus.

10th cent bc: reign of King Solomon - mid 10th century bc culmination of Hebrews political History. Solomon gradually lost control over outlying territories conquered by David. Solomon was successful in organizing economic life of the Country.

King Solomon joined forces with Hiram of Tyre - who was leading the Phoenicians toward the exploitation of Mediterranean trade. Expeditions to Ophir a region probably in either East Africa or India brought rich items such as gold peacocks and sandalwood to Palestine.

At same time the Hebrew King - entered into trade relations with Arabs as far south as Sheba Yemen. Development of new principles in shipbuilding and recent domestication of Arabian camel and use in caravans. Among the King's other undertakings was construction of a fortress or storehouse at a site near the head of the Gulf of Aqaba.