2. JEWISH HISTORY. I. Although the title (Jew* is not known until Israel's return from the Exile, 536 a.c. (Ezr. iv, 12), Jewish history precedes the Exile by 2,000 years. The progenitor was Abraham, who, hailing from Ur of the Chaldees, is known, not as a'Jew," but as a ((Hebrew' (Gen. xiv, 13). As patriarch of his tribe, he was succeeded by his son Isaac; Isaac, in turn, by Jacob, surnamed °Israel,'" and Israel by his 12 sons, who, after the slavery of their de scendants in Egypt, became the heads of 12 tribes, known collectively as 'Israel" or ((the Children of Israel)" (Ex. i, I). Among the 12 tribes, neither Levi, who was destined for the service of God, nor Joseph, who was supplanted by his two sons, Ephraim and Me nasseh, is represented. With the conclusion of Egyptian servitude, the Children of Israel were formed into a nation by Moses, their liberator. Moses led Israel, by a circuitous route, through the desert, toward Canaan. Forty years were consumed in making that journey, during which time Israel's appointment as as kingdom of priests and a holy nation' with the establish ment of a theocracy as highest aim was made known; religious tenets, ethical precepts, hygienic laws and social principles were pro mulgated; a tabernacle, with an elaborate sacri ficial cult, was established; countless hardships were enduree; frequent rebellions were insti tuted and numerous battles were fought.
Upon his death, .Moses was succeeded by Joshua, a warrior chieftain, who; crossing the river Jordan, and vanquishing many of the native tribes, divided Canaan, by lot, among the tribes, and set up the tabernacle at Shiloh. The natives who were not vanquished proved sources of annoyance to the invading Israelites, and often made certain portions of Israel trib utary to them. This condition called for the 'Judges" who, b' means of battle, succeeded in regaining for the Israelites their independ ence. Of these there are 15 most celebrated. among whom are Deborah, Gideon, Samson and Samuel, also the first of the prophets, a class of men whose principal aim was to keep Israel free from the contaminating heathen influences of the natives, and loyal to the higher worship of the one God. It was in Samuel's days,
about the middle of the 11th century a.c., that democratic Israel became a monarchy. Saul was made king. His throne did not pass over to his son, hut to David, who had proved victor in many battles against the harassing Philistines. Upon the close 'of 'David's life,.re plete with warfare, his son, Solomon, who be came the architect of a powerful kingdom, suc ceeded him. He beautified Jerusalem, the tal, built the first temple, constructed palaces, extended commerce and made many alliances' with foreigh nations. Although his was 'a golden age, it was in his time that idolatry was introduced into Israel. Upon his death (977 s.c.) a revolt broke out. Solomon had'.taxed. the people heavily, to further his many expen sive ventures. The people wanted the taxes de-' creased. Rehaboam, his son and successor, re fused to listen to the clamors of the people. Ten tribes seceded and formed an independent. kingdom, called the °Kingdom of Israel?' leav ing to Rehaboam only Judah and Benjamin, termed the "Kingdom of Judah.° Israel had 19 and Judah 20 kings. Jeraboam, the first king' of Israel, desirous of weaning the tribes of their attachment to Jerusalem, the common sanctuary, introduced the calf worship in Dan. and Bethel. Israel, through the example of its kings, went from bad to worse, until, in 719 ac., Samaria, Israel's capital, was destroyed, and the people constituting the 10 tribes were deported to Assyria by Shalmaneter IV, to become lost forever. Judah, too, entered upon the down ward path. With the exception of occasional and temporary reforms under Asa (954), Heze lciah (720) and Josiah (627), Judah was idol atrous, always reflecting the fetichism of sur rounding nations. The exhortations of such prophets as Elijah, Elisha, Jonah, Amos, Joel,• Hosea, Zechariah, Micah, Isaiah, Zephaniah, Jeremiah and others, were of no more avail with Judah than with Israel, so that in 586 c., erusatem was razed to the ground, the temple destroyed and the people taken captives toBabylonia by Nebucl adnezzar.