The Hebrews were Semitic-speaking people who had a tradition concerning their origins and history that was eventually written down as part of the Hebrew Bible, known to Christians as the Old Testament.
Describing themselves originally as nomads organized into clans, the Hebrews’ tradition states that they were descendants of the patriarch Abraham, who had migrated from Mesopotamia to the land of Canaan, where they became identified as the ‘‘Children of Israel. ’’
Again according to tradition, a drought in Canaan caused many Hebrews to migrate to Egypt, where they lived peacefully until they were enslaved by pharaohs who used them as laborers on building projects.
These Hebrews remained in bondage until Moses led them eastward out of Egypt in the Exodus, which some historians have argued would have occurred in the first half of the thirteenth century B.
Social Patterns - The ‘‘men of rank and influence’’ formed a special group of considerable importance in Hebrew society. Although simply servants to the kings, they held a privileged position in society at large. The common people sometimes called ‘‘people of the land,’’ remained a body of free people having basic civil rights. There was no real merchant class in ancient Israel.
The family was the central social institution in He-brew life and consisted of individuals connected by common blood and a common living place. A family living in one house could comprise husband and wife, married sons and their wives, and their children. The Hebrew family was patriarchal. The husband-father was master of his wife and possessed absolute authority over his children, including the power of life and death.
MARRIAGE AND WOMEN - Marriage was an important aspect of Hebrew family life. In ancient Israel, polygamy was an accepted form of marriage, especially for kings and wealthier citizens. Hebrew law limited kings to eighteen wives and citizens to four. In practice, only kings could afford a large ha-rem.
She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 7 Women were greatly valued, but their work was obviously never done. Although the Hebrew Bible, a male-edited work, reveals a society dominated by men, it also includes stories of women who played heroic roles in the early history of Israel. most blessed of tent-dwelling women.
In the Hebrew Bible, women are mostly dependent on men. Wives were expected to remain faithful to their husbands, an ideal that would later have an impact on Christian attitudes toward women. The primary goal of marriage was to produce children. They were the ‘‘crown of man,’’ and sons, in particular, were desired.
Daughters would eventually leave the family house, but sons carried on the family line. Mothers were in charge of the early education of children, especially in regard to basic moral principles. As boys matured, their fathers took over responsibility for their education, which remained largely informal. This included religious instruction as well as general education for life.
Since trades were usually hereditary, fathers also provided their sons’ occupational education. ’’ 9 Additional education for boys came from priests, whose sacred mission was to instruct people in the Torah. The only education girls received was from their mothers, who taught them the basic fundamentals of how to be good wives, mothers, and housekeepers.
The Phoenicians had resided in Canaan for some time but now found themselves with new independence.
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