At the time of Abraham the Hebrew, the area where he lived was full of pagan cults; they were polytheistic, worshiping multiple deities. Abraham was the first to advance the idea of ethical monotheism: the worship of One God, and the appropriate ethical code of conduct.
The Israelites differed from other ancient peoples in the following ways:1) It was the only religion in which God spoke to the entire assembled nation (Exodus ch.19) of over two million people.
2) It made a complete break from the surrounding idolatry. Their monotheism (belief in One God) set the Jews apart because other ancient nations did not share it. We've heard (for example) of Greek mythology and Roman mythology. What not everyone is aware of is that idolatry tended to go hand in hand with cruel, licentious and excessive behavior, since the caprices which were narrated concerning the pagan gods were adopted as an excuse to imitate those types of behavior.
Compare that to God, who reveals His attributes in the Torah as wise, kind, holy, and pure. God is One, so the command to imitate His attributes (Deuteronomy 8:6) was (and is) a straightforward matter once one is even minimally familiar with the Torah.
(See: What do Jews believe God is like?)
Accordingly, Judaism was:
3) The only ancient religion in which a large percentage of its adherents were literate and scholars.
4) It was the only religion in which the people were ruled by God, with no need for a king, for several centuries (see Judges 8:23 and 1 Samuel 8:4-7).
5) The concept of morality was also the work of the Hebrews' religion, including the dignity and value of a person. It is the responsibility of the community to support the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger passing through.
6) Under the law of Judaism, everyone had recourse to the courts. A child, widow, wife, poor person, etc., could initiate legal action against any citizen to redress perpetrated harm. Compare this to those societies in which only mature, land-owning males had rights.
7) Government is accountable to a higher authority. In other ancient societies, the monarch was all-powerful. Among the Israelites, however, the king was under the constant scrutiny of the Divinely-informed prophets, who didn't hesitate to castigate him publicly for any misstep in the sight of God.
And, other than for the crime of rebellion, the king couldn't punish any citizen by his own decision. He was obligated by the Torah-procedures like everyone else (Talmud, Sanhedrin 19a).
8) A robber repays double to his victim, or works it off. Unlike in many other ancient societies, in Judaism debtors are not imprisoned or harmed. They are made to sell property and/or work to repay what they owe. Compare this to the Roman practice by which anyone could accuse a man of owing them money and the debtor could be killed (Roman Twelve Tables of Law, 3:10).
It is important to note that every one of the above existed in Judaism thousands of years earlier than in other nations. Here's just one example: Infanticide was practiced in classical European nations until Judaism and its daughter-religions put a stop to it.
See also:
At the time of Abraham the Hebrew, the area where he lived was full of pagan cults; they were polytheistic, worshiping multiple deities. Abraham was the first to advance the idea of ethical monotheism: the worship of One God, and the appropriate ethical code of conduct.
The Israelites differed from other ancient peoples in the following ways:1) It was the only religion in which God spoke to the entire assembled nation (Exodus ch.19) of over two million people.
2) It made a complete break from the surrounding idolatry. Their monotheism (belief in One God) set the Jews apart because other ancient nations did not share it. We've heard (for example) of Greek mythology and Roman mythology. What not everyone is aware of is that idolatry tended to go hand in hand with cruel, licentious and excessive behavior, since the caprices which were narrated concerning the pagan gods were adopted as an excuse to imitate those types of behavior.
Compare that to God, who reveals His attributes in the Torah as wise, kind, holy, and pure. God is One, so the command to imitate His attributes (Deuteronomy 8:6) was (and is) a straightforward matter once one is even minimally familiar with the Torah.
(See: What do Jews believe God is like?)
Accordingly, Judaism was:
3) The only ancient religion in which a large percentage of its adherents were literate and scholars.
4) It was the only religion in which the people were ruled by God, with no need for a king, for several centuries (see Judges 8:23 and 1 Samuel 8:4-7).
5) The concept of morality was also the work of the Hebrews' religion, including the dignity and value of a person. It is the responsibility of the community to support the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger passing through.
6) Under the law of Judaism, everyone had recourse to the courts. A child, widow, wife, poor person, etc., could initiate legal action against any citizen to redress perpetrated harm. Compare this to those societies in which only mature, land-owning males had rights.
7) Government is accountable to a higher authority. In other ancient societies, the monarch was all-powerful. Among the Israelites, however, the king was under the constant scrutiny of the Divinely-informed prophets, who didn't hesitate to castigate him publicly for any misstep in the sight of God.
And, other than for the crime of rebellion, the king couldn't punish any citizen by his own decision. He was obligated by the Torah-procedures like everyone else (Talmud, Sanhedrin 19a).
8) A robber repays double to his victim, or works it off. Unlike in many other ancient societies, in Judaism debtors are not imprisoned or harmed. They are made to sell property and/or work to repay what they owe. Compare this to the Roman practice by which anyone could accuse a man of owing them money and the debtor could be killed (Roman Twelve Tables of Law, 3:10).
It is important to note that every one of the above existed in Judaism thousands of years earlier than in other nations. Here's just one example: Infanticide was practiced in classical European nations until Judaism and its daughter-religions put a stop to it.
See also:
The ancient Israelites dis not really differ much from their neighbours in the ancient Near East. Like the Canaanites, Phoenicians, Moabites and others, they were a West Semitic people, spoke a similar language and shared a common alphabet. The Bible tells us that they worshipped the same gods, a fact confirmed by recent Archaeology. After the destruction of Israel in 722 BCE, its southern neighbour, Judah, adopted a monotheistic form of Judaism. Human sacrifice, which is now looked upon with abhorrence, was practised until shortly before the Babylonian Exile.
The main difference between the Israelites (and the closely related people of Judah), and many of their neighbours is that the Israelites did not eat pork. However, some scholars note that most of the nomadic tribespeople of the Levant did not keep pigs, and therefore did not eat pork, because the nomadic lifestype did not suit pig husbandry. Nevertheless, the absence or otherwise of pig bones is still considered the primary evidence for sites being populated by Hebrew people.
Israelites were Aramaic rather than Arabic.
There are many peoples named there, with the Israelites being central.
Latins, Etruscans, Samnites, were three of the peoples in Italy that were absorbed into the Roman empire. There were many others, as ancient Italy consisted of a multitude of peoples.Latins, Etruscans, Samnites, were three of the peoples in Italy that were absorbed into the Roman empire. There were many others, as ancient Italy consisted of a multitude of peoples.Latins, Etruscans, Samnites, were three of the peoples in Italy that were absorbed into the Roman empire. There were many others, as ancient Italy consisted of a multitude of peoples.Latins, Etruscans, Samnites, were three of the peoples in Italy that were absorbed into the Roman empire. There were many others, as ancient Italy consisted of a multitude of peoples.Latins, Etruscans, Samnites, were three of the peoples in Italy that were absorbed into the Roman empire. There were many others, as ancient Italy consisted of a multitude of peoples.Latins, Etruscans, Samnites, were three of the peoples in Italy that were absorbed into the Roman empire. There were many others, as ancient Italy consisted of a multitude of peoples.Latins, Etruscans, Samnites, were three of the peoples in Italy that were absorbed into the Roman empire. There were many others, as ancient Italy consisted of a multitude of peoples.Latins, Etruscans, Samnites, were three of the peoples in Italy that were absorbed into the Roman empire. There were many others, as ancient Italy consisted of a multitude of peoples.Latins, Etruscans, Samnites, were three of the peoples in Italy that were absorbed into the Roman empire. There were many others, as ancient Italy consisted of a multitude of peoples.
The Romans, like all ancient peoples, always believed in a god. In fact they believed in many of them, that's why there are so many ruins of temples.The Romans, like all ancient peoples, always believed in a god. In fact they believed in many of them, that's why there are so many ruins of temples.The Romans, like all ancient peoples, always believed in a god. In fact they believed in many of them, that's why there are so many ruins of temples.The Romans, like all ancient peoples, always believed in a god. In fact they believed in many of them, that's why there are so many ruins of temples.The Romans, like all ancient peoples, always believed in a god. In fact they believed in many of them, that's why there are so many ruins of temples.The Romans, like all ancient peoples, always believed in a god. In fact they believed in many of them, that's why there are so many ruins of temples.The Romans, like all ancient peoples, always believed in a god. In fact they believed in many of them, that's why there are so many ruins of temples.The Romans, like all ancient peoples, always believed in a god. In fact they believed in many of them, that's why there are so many ruins of temples.The Romans, like all ancient peoples, always believed in a god. In fact they believed in many of them, that's why there are so many ruins of temples.
Yes, the Romans, like all ancient peoples, painted their statues. Archaeologists are discovering remains of paint pigments on many pieces.Yes, the Romans, like all ancient peoples, painted their statues. Archaeologists are discovering remains of paint pigments on many pieces.Yes, the Romans, like all ancient peoples, painted their statues. Archaeologists are discovering remains of paint pigments on many pieces.Yes, the Romans, like all ancient peoples, painted their statues. Archaeologists are discovering remains of paint pigments on many pieces.Yes, the Romans, like all ancient peoples, painted their statues. Archaeologists are discovering remains of paint pigments on many pieces.Yes, the Romans, like all ancient peoples, painted their statues. Archaeologists are discovering remains of paint pigments on many pieces.Yes, the Romans, like all ancient peoples, painted their statues. Archaeologists are discovering remains of paint pigments on many pieces.Yes, the Romans, like all ancient peoples, painted their statues. Archaeologists are discovering remains of paint pigments on many pieces.Yes, the Romans, like all ancient peoples, painted their statues. Archaeologists are discovering remains of paint pigments on many pieces.
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They believed in one god (monotheism) , almost all the other peoples believed in many polytheism).
Roman religion, like the religions of the other ancient peoples, except for the Jews, was polytheistic (it had many gods) and its cults were based on blood sacrifices or other types of offerings to the gods.
Icelanders have many sagas of their peoples. The Iliad is an ancient Greek saga.
According to Judaism, the answer is yes. The Hebrew Bible records a number of miracles that God wrought for the Israelites. Many of these had millions of witnesses (Exodus 20:14), sometimes including other nations as well (such as when the sun stopped for Joshua, which is recorded among widely-scattered ancient peoples).
No. It was normal for the ancients to have many gods, and the Israelites were not different in that respect. If there is anything unique about the Hebrew people it is the Bible, but that was written among the people of Judah, long after the destruction of Israel.
They got more hope in ancient times and they won many battles and made amazing building projects.
Rome is in Italy as is the capital of Italy. In ancient times it was the main city of the Latins, one of the many peoples who lived in the Italic peninsula in ancient times.