What changes did the Israelites bring?

Answer 1

A:

According to the Old Testament, the invading Israelites brought a new religion, moral standards previously absent in Canaan and a new form of civilisation.

What scholars have found is that the Canaanite religious beliefs and practices remained in place among the Israelites for centuries to come, apart from the introduction of a new deity, YHWH (Yahweh), not previously known to the north-western Semites. Pottery and artefacts used by the early Israelites only changed from their Canaanite predecessors over long periods of time. It is disputed whether the Hebrews introduced the prohibition of pork, or whether this had already been widespread among rural hill-country Canaanites. The similarities between early Hebrew religion and culture and those of the Canaanites are consistent with the scholarly consensus that the Israelites were not invaders, but were themselves Canaanites who migrated from the region of the rich coastal cities to setle peacefully in the hitherto sparsely populated hinterland. They were aided in this by the introduction of the iron plough and hillside terracing, which allowed higher population levels than previously possible.

Jewish answer:

According to tradition, the Israelites from the time of Abraham 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 the 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 idols 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) became a straightforward matter through the teachings of the Torah.
Accordingly, Judaism was:
1) The only ancient religion in which a large percentage of its adherents were literate and scholars.
2) 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).
3) 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.
4) Under the law of Judaism, everyone had recourse to the courts. A child, widow, wife, etc., could initiate legal action against any citizen to redress perpetrated harm. Compare this to those societies in which (at most) only mature, land-owning males had rights.
5) 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.
6) 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.
Gradually, the Israelites and the Torah gave the Western world much of its shape today. Many of the laws, traditions, culture and values are directly attributable to Judaism.
1) The Jews' monotheistic religious tradition shaped the Western beliefs about God.
2) The 7-day week, including a day of rest for everyone.
3) Women's rights also were carefully maintained in Judaism. Israelite women could own property, could initiate court cases, could have their own servants, and could own fields and businesses; and the Torah specifies marital rights for women (Exodus 21:10). Today's laws giving women rights under the law are a by-product of Judaism.
4) What is customary to be eaten in Western society is a reflection of much of the Judaic dietary law. With the exception of the pig, Western society does not eat species not contained in kosher law. Owls, mice, insects, rats, snakes, cats and dogs are not eaten by most Westerners and it is a direct result of Jewish culture.
5) Parents are responsible for teaching children. Universal education in the Western world is taken for granted today, yet this is a recent development. In Judaism, however, it goes back 3300 years. Judaism has always maintained that education is the highest goal of man in his pursuit of Godliness. This tradition has now been passed on to Western culture.
6) Infants are to be protected and cared for, whether or not they turned out to be the gender you were hoping for. Compare this to societies in which unhealthy babies, or females, were killed.
7) Cruelty to animals is not acceptable.
It is important to note that every one of the above was instituted among the Israelites thousands of years earlier than in other nations. Here's just one example: Aristotle, who was among the greatest of the Greeks, and Seneca, the famous Roman, both write that killing one's young babies is perfectly acceptable. Professor and former President of the American Historical Association, William L. Langer (in The History of Childhood): "Children, being physically unable to resist aggression, were the victims of forces over which they had no control, and they were abused in almost unimaginable ways."

Answer 2

A:

According to the Old Testament, the invading Israelites brought a new religion, moral standards previously absent in Canaan and a new form of civilisation.

What scholars have found is that the Canaanite religious beliefs and practices remained in place among the Israelites for centuries to come, apart from the introduction of a new deity, YHWH (Yahweh), not previously known to the north-western Semites. Pottery and artefacts used by the early Israelites only changed from their Canaanite predecessors over long periods of time. It is disputed whether the Hebrews introduced the prohibition of pork, or whether this had already been widespread among rural hill-country Canaanites. The similarities between early Hebrew religion and culture and those of the Canaanites are consistent with the scholarly consensus that the Israelites were not invaders, but were themselves Canaanites who migrated from the region of the rich coastal cities to setle peacefully in the hitherto sparsely populated hinterland. They were aided in this by the introduction of the iron plough and hillside terracing, which allowed higher population levels than previously possible.

Jewish answer:

According to tradition, the Israelites from the time of Abraham 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 the 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 idols 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) became a straightforward matter through the teachings of the Torah.
Accordingly, Judaism was:
1) The only ancient religion in which a large percentage of its adherents were literate and scholars.
2) 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).
3) 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.
4) Under the law of Judaism, everyone had recourse to the courts. A child, widow, wife, etc., could initiate legal action against any citizen to redress perpetrated harm. Compare this to those societies in which (at most) only mature, land-owning males had rights.
5) 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.
6) 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.
Gradually, the Israelites and the Torah gave the Western world much of its shape today. Many of the laws, traditions, culture and values are directly attributable to Judaism.
1) The Jews' monotheistic religious tradition shaped the Western beliefs about God.
2) The 7-day week, including a day of rest for everyone.
3) Women's rights also were carefully maintained in Judaism. Israelite women could own property, could initiate court cases, could have their own servants, and could own fields and businesses; and the Torah specifies marital rights for women (Exodus 21:10). Today's laws giving women rights under the law are a by-product of Judaism.
4) What is customary to be eaten in Western society is a reflection of much of the Judaic dietary law. With the exception of the pig, Western society does not eat species not contained in kosher law. Owls, mice, insects, rats, snakes, cats and dogs are not eaten by most Westerners and it is a direct result of Jewish culture.
5) Parents are responsible for teaching children. Universal education in the Western world is taken for granted today, yet this is a recent development. In Judaism, however, it goes back 3300 years. Judaism has always maintained that education is the highest goal of man in his pursuit of Godliness. This tradition has now been passed on to Western culture.
6) Infants are to be protected and cared for, whether or not they turned out to be the gender you were hoping for. Compare this to societies in which unhealthy babies, or females, were killed.
7) Cruelty to animals is not acceptable.
It is important to note that every one of the above was instituted among the Israelites thousands of years earlier than in other nations. Here's just one example: Aristotle, who was among the greatest of the Greeks, and Seneca, the famous Roman, both write that killing one's young babies is perfectly acceptable. Professor and former President of the American Historical Association, William L. Langer (in The History of Childhood): "Children, being physically unable to resist aggression, were the victims of forces over which they had no control, and they were abused in almost unimaginable ways."