Note organizer on the History of the Hebrew People for studies of the Hebrew scriptures

(The word "scriptures" means "writings")

Theme throughout many different books: Cultural unification throughout freedom and captivity.

2000 BCE (approximate date of the "calling of Abraham") -- wandering nomadic group of Semitic people were culturally identified through a shared theology, rituals, taboos, foods. The word "Semitic" is derived from the name "Shem" (Gen. 6:32) When Noah, for example, gets off the ark, his sacrifice of animals reflects prescribed laws for preparing food. The second account of his getting off the ark (note the repetition of "go forth and multiply"), from the P text (see below), includes a rainbow as a sign of God's Covenant with the Hebrew people.

Abram (later, Abraham) leads one group into Palestine. Abraham is told to distinguish his people though another sign of the Covenant (a promise, a connection, between God & his people): circumcision.

Line of Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Jacob is given the name, "Israel")

Jacob's sons seek food in Egypt; they abandon their brother Joseph. Joseph gains power in Egypt by helping the Pharaoh and later reconciles with his brothers.

Drawn into Egypt by famine (the end of Genesis), the Hebrews are under Egyptian domination in the 17-18th centuries BCE (the beginning of Exodus). Despite the Pharaoh's decree that all Hebrew boys be killed, Moses is saved and raised in the Pharaoh's household. He grows up uncircumcised, but always knows he is a Hebrew. Eventually he makes a public de-claration against the Egyptians, demanding that the Pharaoh let the people of Israel go free.

They leave Egypt (it is estimated) between the 13th-16th centuries BCE (Exodus; Moses). Moses leads them into the land of Canaan.

Israel under Kings: Saul, David, Solomon.

King David ~1000 BCE (King of all Israel) unites western Palestine (Judah) for 400 years.

605 BCE the Hebrews are conquered by the Babylonian general, Nebuchadnezzar. They are exiled from their homes into Babylon. This period is known as the Babylonian Captivity or the Babylonian Exile, 586-538 BCE.

Babylon falls to Persia, 540 BCE. The Hebrews may return to Palestine Many do, but many are spread out in Persian territories. This begins the "Diaspora" or dispersion of the Jews. In Israel, the land of Palestine, the Hebrew people are caught between Egyptian and Persian conflicts.

SOURCE TEXTS for the opening chapters of Genesis:

Individual books, including Genesis, Exodus, and Isaiah (which we are reading) were not written by one hand at a single time. Rather, they were compiled from a series of sources, texts written at different historical moments but within the same cultural and religious tradition of the Hebrew people.

ï The "P" (Priestly code) text of Genesis was written during the period of the Babylonian Captivity (6th century). The "P" text includes the FIRST account of creation, Genesis 1-2:4. What characterizes this account?

ï The "J" (Yahweh) text was written sometime before the 9th or 10th century, around the time that Kings began to rule over Israel. The "J" creation story, written first though appearing second in the narrative, comes from the period of liberty under kings. What characterizes this account?

(Other sources for books of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Hebrew Scriptures, are the "E," or "Elohim" text, which includes the 10 Commandments, composed in the 8th century and the "D," or Deuteronomy text, composed in the 7th century.)

Compare, also, Noah and the flood ("P" text picks up the story of the Covenant in Chapter 9--there are rainbows in Babylon); Tower of Babel ("P" text, during Babylonian captivity).