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Who Were the Early Hebrews
by
Richard D. Bank & Julie Gutin
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- Little is known about the early Hebrews
- They were nomads living in tribal groups
- They developed a cult of one superior god
- This belief united them & set them apart
The Bible is a religious text written much later than the events it described. Because we are reaching back more than 4,000 years, there is little we know for certain about the early Hebrews. In fact, we cannot even be sure of the origin of the word “Hebrew,” though there are plenty of theories on the subject.
According to one, the term did not appear until much later, when the Hebrews dwelt in Egypt, since it derives from the Egyptian word apiru, or “foreigner.” Another possibility has to do with the fact that Abraham came from the “other side” (eber) of the Euphrates River and was thus called a “Hebrew.” A third argument is that the Hebrews believed themselves to be descendants of Eber, one of the ancestors mentioned in the complex biblical genealogy.
However they came about their nomenclature, the early Hebrews were a nomadic people who wandered in tribal groups organized around the rigid hierarchy of kinships. It is certain that they lived side by side with other groups, but there was one thing that separated the Hebrews from their neighbors—their beliefs.
A New Concept
While other tribes worshipped multiple deities, it appears that the early Hebrews had developed a cult of one god whom they thought superior and more powerful to all others. Although this was not yet the monotheistic faith it would gradually evolve into, it probably set the Hebrew tribes apart and united them together, providing them with a common identity. Perhaps it was in one of these groups that a leader such as Abraham emerged and established that there was only one true God responsible for creating the entire world.
...from The Everything Jewish History & Heritage Book. For similar books, please visit Adams Media Bookstore.
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