What was ancient Israelite society?

Answer 1

Originally Israel was ruled in tribes and directed by a prophet. After Moses Israel begins to have Judges who were supposed to be righteous leaders. That didn't work out all the time as there were occasionally wicked judges. After Samuel, we see Israel switching to having Kings to be more like the other nations around. An interesting correlation is that as the form of government moved from tribal Israel to Kings, the Old Testament records the slow degradation of Israel. As long as there were righteous rulers, things worked out okay, but as soon as the rulers fell, the nation as a whole was allowed to fall into captivity.

In ancient Israel there was a war between Israel and the Philistines to control Canaan. The first Israeli sovereign was Saul in around 1020 BC but he was not able to defeat the Philistines. David was the second king and he defeated the Philistines and captured Jerusalem. David was a great monarch for 40 years. His son Solomon became king when Israel was in peace and he helped Israel to grow. Israel became separated to two kingdoms called Israel and Judah for 200 years. Babylon took over Judah and kicked the Israelis out until 540 BC when Cyrus the Great let the Jews return to Judah. The Jews used religion to make the laws. In 400 BC a priest named Ezra helped write the Torah which became the laws of the Israelite people. The Torah is considered the words of God.

Answer 2

The Israelites during that era had a situation which was unique in world history. They undertook a grand experiment: whether a nation could govern themselves for centuries with no king or organized government at all. During that era (of the Judges, about 350 years), when someone raised the possibility of having a king, the answer was: God will rule over you, not a king (Judges 8:23). The events of the Exodus and the Giving of the Torah were so fresh in the nation's memory that they didn't need a king; God was their King.

Only at the end of the fourth century after the Exodus, in Samuel's old age, did the people (including their Torah-scholars) begin to feel that the time had come to institute a regular king and government. The Torah itself permitted this (Deuteronomy ch.17); and they saw that Samuel's sons didn't seem to have reached his spiritual level (1 Samuel 8:2-3).

During the era of Moses, Joshua and the Judges, however, there was no fixed government. Instead, there were the officers of tens, fifties, hundreds and thousands (Exodus ch.18), and the court of Elders, who were Torah-scholars that provided Torah-rulings and guidance. Each of the leading Judges (Gideon, Deborah etc.) was a private citizen (not a head of government) who led the nation only during a brief episode of battle.

Answer 3

The fall of the Hittite and Egyptian states permited a Hebrew state to prosper. The Hebrews were from a people called Hapiru and they migrated from Egypt into the Sinai Peninsula and Palestine. Some Hebrews believed in the ancient Semitic fertility god, Baal.Hebrews struggled against the Philistines. Under Saul and David, the twelve tribes became united under a monarchy. David led them to defeat the Philistines and capture Jerusalem. King Solomon built a great temple in Jerusalem and extended Hebrew power. At Solomon's death the kingdom was divided in two. War broke out between these two Hebrew kingdoms. The northern half of the kingdom was destroyed by the Assyrians, but the southern half became the center of Judaism. This kingdom of Judah survived until it was crushed by the Babylonians and its survivors were sent into exile; many were freed by the Persians in 538 B.C. During and just after this "Babylonian Captivity," the exiles redefined their beliefs into the law of Yahweh--these believers are called Jews. Hebrew`s daily life The end of nomadic life and coming of urban life changed family and marriage customs. 1.Communal landownership gave way to family ownership. 2.The extended tribal family gave way to the nuclear family; women became less free, confined to the home; and religion became maleoriented. 3.The typical marriage was monogamous, and a virtuous wife was highly respected and honored. 4.Jewish society placed strong emphasis on rearing children; both parents played a role in the child's education. Land was precious to the family, but peace and prosperity brought about a decline of the family farm and a rise of large estates and slave labor.

The rise of urban life brought new job opportunities and increased trade.Craft and trade specialization thrived, often under guilds. Jews mostly dealt with local trade while export trade and commerce was dominated by foreigners.The Torah is basically the Mosaic law, while the Talmud is a record of civil and ceremonial law begun during the Babylonian Captivity.The Talmud states regulations with regard to diet and food preparation--because of concern about eating dangerous food.

• Jewish answer

Israelite society was based upon the covenant with God, as set forth in the Torah (Exodus ch.19, Deuteronomy 26:16-19). There was always a learned class among the Israelites, and virtually all men and boys (and a good percentage of women) could read and write. A portion of each day was spent praying; and a larger part of the day was spent studying Torah (by a good part of the populace). Religious questions (and torts) were brought to one of the many Rabbis or Jewish courts.

Having a large family was an ideal, as was welcoming guests into the home, giving charity, and many other forms of kindness. A portion of crops was given to the poor. The calendar year was replete with the Sabbaths and festivals; and blessings were said before and after eating and on many other occasions.

In brief, there was no such thing as a secular part of life, since the Torah's laws cover every form of activity, including business.

Answer 4

In Ancient times, it was a monarchy. Today, Israel is a unitary parliamentary republic with representational democracy.

Hebrew society was based upon the covenant with God, as set forth in the Torah. The Torah establishes a separation of the various forms of power, so that all of them are not concentrated in one individual.
In the earliest era, the Hebrews consisted of family-groups (clans; tribes) led by patriarchs. Later, during the three centuries of the Judges, the Israelite nation had sages (led by Sanhedrin-courts) who were consulted in questions of Jewish law and conduct; while individual judges occasionally unified the people in war against some common enemy.
During the four centuries of the monarchy, the Israelites were led by three distinct people or groups: the king, the Sanhedrin and the Kohen Gadol. (See also Deuteronomy ch.17-18.)
The king conducted the nation and made decisions in most national matters but was not necessarily one of the leading sages. It is noteworthy that although the prophets had no temporal power, they were sent by God not only to exhort the people in general, but also to rebuke the king when needed.
The Sanhedrin (court of Sages) was the final authority on Torah-matters. One of its functions was to ensure that the Torah-traditions were handed down intact from generation to generation.
The Kohen Gadol conducted the observances in the Holy Temple, together with the assistance of the rest of the Kohanim and Levites (Numbers ch.8 and 18; Leviticus ch.21). Though the Kohen Gadol had no formal power outside the Temple, he did have great influence due to the prestige of his position. In times of need, he occasionally dealt directly with foreign monarchs (see Talmud, Yoma 47a and 69b).
When the monarchy ceased at the time of the First Destruction, the prophets pointed out that the reason was that there were some individuals, men with positions of power, who misused that power. As was the case concerning the avoidance of idolatry, not everyone heeded the prophets.
Specifically, the monarchy and its hangers-on, and the public functionaries, included a minority that took advantage of those who had no such power.

Answer 5

It was a monarchy in ancient times. Today is a parlimentary republic.

Answer 2

In the earliest era, the Hebrews consisted of family-groups (clans; tribes) led by patriarchs. Later, during the three centuries of the Judges, individual Judges occasionally unified the people in war against some common enemy.
During the four centuries of the monarchy, the Israelites were led by three distinct people or groups (See also Deuteronomy ch.17-18.)
The king conducted the nation and made decisions in most national matters but was not necessarily one of the leading sages.
The Sanhedrin (court of Sages) was the final authority on Torah-matters.
The Kohen Gadol conducted the observances in the Holy Temple, together with the assistance of the rest of the Kohanim and Levites (Leviticus ch.21, Numbers ch.8 and 18).

Answer 6

Hebrew society was based upon the covenant with God, as set forth in the Torah. The Torah establishes a separation of the various forms of power, so that all of them are not concentrated in one individual.
In the earliest era, the Hebrews consisted of family-groups (clans; tribes) led by patriarchs. Later, during the three centuries of the Judges, the Israelite nation had sages (led by Sanhedrin-courts) who were consulted in questions of Jewish law and conduct; while individual judges occasionally unified the people in war against some common enemy.
During the four centuries of the monarchy, the Israelites were led by three distinct people or groups: the king, the Sanhedrin and the Kohen Gadol. (See also Deuteronomy ch.17-18.)
The king conducted the nation and made decisions in most national matters but was not necessarily one of the leading sages. It is noteworthy that although the prophets had no temporal power, they were sent by God not only to exhort the people in general, but also to rebuke the king when needed.
The Sanhedrin (court of Sages) was the final authority on Torah-matters. One of its functions was to ensure that the Torah-traditions were handed down intact from generation to generation.
The Kohen Gadol conducted the observances in the Holy Temple, together with the assistance of the rest of the Kohanim and Levites (Numbers ch.8 and 18; Leviticus ch.21). Though the Kohen Gadol had no formal power outside the Temple, he did have great influence due to the prestige of his position. In times of need, he occasionally dealt directly with foreign monarchs (see Talmud, Yoma 47a and 69b).
When the monarchy ceased at the time of the First Destruction, the prophets pointed out that the reason was that there were some individuals, men with positions of power, who misused that power. As was the case concerning the avoidance of idolatry, not everyone heeded the prophets.
Specifically, the monarchy and its hangers-on, and the public functionaries, included a minority that took advantage of those who had no such power.

Answer 7

Hebrew society (the society in ancient Israel) was based upon the covenant with God, as set forth in the Torah (Exodus ch.19, Deuteronomy 26:16-19). There was always a learned class among the Israelites, and virtually all men and boys (and a good percentage of women) could read and write. A portion of each day was spent praying; and a larger part of the day was spent studying Torah (by a good part of the populace). Religious questions (and torts) were brought to one of the many Rabbis or Jewish courts.

• Link: Social classes among the Israelites
  

Having a large family was an ideal, as was welcoming guests into the home, giving charity, and many other forms of kindness. A portion of crops was given to the poor. The calendar year was replete with the Sabbaths and festivals; and blessings were said before and after eating and on many other occasions.
In brief, there was no such thing as a secular part of life, since the Torah's laws cover every form of activity, including business.

• Link: Some examples of the Torah's laws

Answer 8

Hebrew society was based upon the covenant with God, as set forth in the Torah. The Torah establishes a separation of the various forms of power, so that all of them are not concentrated in one individual.
In the earliest era, the Hebrews consisted of family-groups (clans; tribes) led by patriarchs. Later, during the three centuries of the Judges, the Israelite nation had sages (led by Sanhedrin-courts) who were consulted in questions of Jewish law and conduct; while individual Judges occasionally unified the people in war against some common enemy.

Link: Jewish history timeline

During the four centuries of the monarchy, the Israelites were led by three distinct people or groups: the king, the Sanhedrin and the Kohen Gadol. (See also Deuteronomy ch.17-18.)

• The king conducted the nation and made decisions in most national matters but was not necessarily one of the leading sages. It is noteworthy that although the prophets had no temporal power, they were sent by God not only to exhort the people in general, but also to rebuke the king when needed.
  

Link: The role of the prophets

• The Sanhedrin (court of Sages) was the final authority on Torah-matters. One of its functions was to ensure that the Torah-traditions were handed down intact from generation to generation.
  

• The Kohen Gadol conducted the observances in the Holy Temple, together with the assistance of the rest of the Kohanim and Levites (Leviticus ch.21, Numbers ch.8 and 18). Though the Kohen Gadol had no formal power outside the Temple, he did have great influence due to the prestige of his position. In times of need, he occasionally dealt directly with foreign monarchs (see Talmud, Yoma 47a and 69b).
  

When the monarchy ceased at the time of the First Destruction, the prophets pointed out that the reason was that there had been some individuals, men with positions of power, who misused that power. As was the case concerning the avoidance of idolatry, not everyone heeded the prophets.
Specifically, the monarchy and its hangers-on, and the public functionaries, included a minority that took advantage of those who had no such power.

See also the other related Links.

Link: Reasons for the Destruction

Link: Social classes in ancient Israel

Link: Life in Israel

Answer 9

A Monarchy (translation) kings and queens.

Answer 10

In Ancient times, it was a monarchy. Today, Israel is a unitary parliamentary republic with representational democracy.