HISTORY.
Of the three names Hebrew, Israelite. Jew, the first is properly applied to the period when Hebrews constituted in the full sense of the word a nation; the second has acquired an al most exclusive religious force; while the third is the proper designation to cover the twofold aspect of Hebrews a; a people and a religious body. Applying this distinction. the period be fore the Babylonian exile (n.c. 586) may be des ignated as Hebrew history, and the post-exilic period as Jewish history.
A. IlEnnEw llisTonv. The period before the Exile may be divided into three divisions: (I ) TIn early period preceding the formation of the Hebrew confederation to e.1-250 me.; (2) the beginnings of the nation and the conquest of Canaan. c.1250 to HMO u.c.; (3) the period of definite organization and the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. B.C. 1000 to WI. The direct sources for our knowledge of this period are: (a) The hooks of the Old Testament and works, like the Antiquities and !fore of Josephus, dependent upon the Old Testament: (b) Assyrian and Egyptian records. which furnish numerous ref erences to the political history of the land in habited by the Hebrews. Of these two sources, the former is obviously (lie more important, but also the more difficult to utilize in a proper manner. The Old Testament, indeed, furnishes in the five books known as the Pentateuch, and in Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings (the last two constituting one book ill four parts), a con tinuous historyy beginning with the creation of the world and continued down to the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, Xing of Baby lonia, in me. 5S6. Ent this narrative represents Ilebiew history as shaped (a) by tradition, and (h) a theory regarding the origin and nature of the religion of the Hebrews and the destiny of the people.
This traditional and pragmatic history may he summarized as follows: God, the creator of the universe. who created mankind and subsequently destroyed the human race because of its corrup tion, with the exception of Noah and his three sons and their families, revealed Himself to .\brahain (or Abram), the son of 'Torah, dwelling in l'r of the Chaldecs. and commanded him to leave his home for a land to be pointed out to him, where his offspring should develop into a mighty nation. _Abraham obeys and proceeds to Canaan. llis life is spent in sojourns at various places. Ile has two sons, Ishmael and Isaac; hut of the two the latter is the favorite. God likewise reveals Himself to Isaac and repeats the promise. Isaac again has two sons, Esan and Jacob. The latter is the favorite, and divine revelation, with the repetition of the promise of future greatness. is accorded to him. Jacob has twelve sons, and, with the divine approval.
migrates to Egypt. where he is told that his off pring will sullen oppression for four hundred years and then return to the promised land. Canaan. The Hebrews become numerous in Egypt, despite the enforced labor and hardships to which they are subjected. Cruel measures are devised to prevent their increase: hut finally, through Moses and Aaron. deputed for the pur pose by God Himself. they leave Egypt. They come to Mount Sinai, where. amid thunder and lightning, God reveals Himself to them, estab lishes a covenant between Himself and the peo ple, henceforth to be known as 'Ilis people,' and through :\ loses the Ten Commandments and all the laws embodied in the Pentateuch are given and imposed upon the Hebrews as eternally bind ing. This event at Mount Sinai marks the birth of the nation. the definite formation of the He brew confederation under the designation Bene Israel. After forty years' wanderings in the wilderness the Hebrews enter Canaan under the leadership of Joshua. The land is conquered. the Canaanites are driven out or reduced to sub mission. and the territory is distributed among the tribes. :Vier the death of Joshua the people begin to fall away from God. The laws of Noses are not followed, and a period of anarchy ensues in which "every one does what seems right in his own eyes." This period lasts four hundred years, during which the tribes unite only in times of extreme distress, when God takes pity on His people and sends some one to deliver them from their enemies. These leaders are known as 'judges.' Tender a Benjamite leader, Saul, a more permanent union is formed, and with David, son of Jesse of Bethlehem, the establishment of a Hebrew kingdom is brought about. David is succeeded by Solomon; but, although under the latter prosperity prevails and the power of the kingdom reaches its climax, Solomon himself sets the example of introducing by the side of God the cult of other gods. As a punishment, the kingdom is divided after Solomon's death. The Kingdom of Israel, formed by ten of the tribes, is established in the north; the Kingdom of Judah, formed by Judah and Benjamin, in the south. The kings of both districts are desig nated as good or bad according as they obey or fall away from the law revealed through Moses. As in the period of the judges, oppression, dis aster, war, plagues, and finally the destruction of both kingdoms are ordained as a punishment for the sins of the people in not remaining faith ful to their God. The prophets predict this disaster, hut also promise a restoration of the national independence after a period of atone ment. This history is worked out in detail in the eight historical books of the Old Testament.