What were the beliefs of the Israelites?

Answer 1

A: From the time of the Babylonian Exile, the people of Judah began using the term 'Israelite' to refer to themselves, and the claim hereditary rights to the land that once formed the northern kingdom of Israel. However, when we talk of Israelites we are really referring to the people of Israel, a nation destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BCE.

The Israelities were at all times polytheistic, although it appears that Yahweh (YHWH) became their national God sometime early in the first millennium BCE. THey also worshipped the Canaanite father of the gods, 'El, known to us through the Hebrew scriptures as Elohim. Another important god was Baal. The goddess Asherah was at first the consort of El, but later of Yahweh. In fact, it seems that El and Yahweh became syncretised as the same God, a move that, in Judah, eventually led to the development of monotheism.

Archaeological evidence suggests that Yahweh began as a storm god but was later seen as a moon god and eventually as a sun god. During the late monarchy of Judah, Yahweh developed into an aniconic God, for whom no image was possible.

• Jewish Answer:

"Israelites" refers to the descendants of Israel, which is another name of Jacob (Genesis ch.35). The beliefs of the Israelites were the traditions, practices and beliefs of Abraham, which in the lifetime of Moses were recorded in the Torah. The central belief was and is the belief in God, who created the universe.

Note that, as the Torah records, there were Israelites who strayed into idolatry (Exodus ch.32). These, however, were sinners, not representative of normative Israelite belief.

Here is a list of the most basic beliefs of Judaism, as collated by Maimonides:
1. God exists, and is the Creator.
2. God is One and unique.
3. God is not physical.
4. God is eternal.
5. Prayer is to be directed only to God.
6. The words of the prophets are true.
The prophecies of the Hebrew Bible have been coming true throughout history. Even secular archaeologists (the unbiased ones) have stated that the Hebrew Bible is the most accurate of historical records, as the disdainful theories of Wellhausen and Bible-critics of his ilk have been shattered by the archaeologist's spade. A list of Bible verses which were deemed anachronistic but later shown to be perfectly accurate would run into the many hundreds.
7. The prophecies of Moses are true; and he was the greatest prophet.
8. The Torah was given to Moses by God.
9. There will be no other Torah.
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of all.
11. God rewards the good and punishes the wicked.
12. The Messiah will come.
13. The dead will be resurrected.

Answer 2

They believed God was the greatest being. They called on him in their worst times.

Answer:

The Israelites believed in the Most High, our one true Creator and keeping His statutes and laws. They strayed from Him many times, sometimes still holding belief in Him, sometimes giving that up altogether, but their beliefs were later distorted through time through intentional and unintentional misinterpretation.

Answer:

Dictionaries define "Judaism" as The monotheistic religion of the Jews, since the founding principle of Judaism was and is the belief in One God, creator of the universe. This was the teaching which was spread by Abraham, and has continued since then. From Judaism, belief in One God has spread through the Western world.

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Jews have always worshiped the One God. Abraham worshiped "the Lord God of Heaven and Earth" (Genesis 14:22 and 24:3) and complained about the Philistines' lack of fear of God (Genesis 20:11).
Jacob confiscated the idolatrous images taken from Shechem (Genesis 35:2) and got rid of them (Genesis 35:4); and refrained from invoking the gods of Nahor (Genesis 31:53). Rachel pilfered Laban's statue-images (Genesis 31:19) in order to prevent him from idolatry (Rashi commentary, ibid.). Joseph placed his hope in the God of the Forefathers (Genesis 50:24).
At the time of the Exodus, God wrecked the Egyptian idols (Exodus 12:12) and warned against idolatry (Exodus 22:19). Later, Moses characterized the Golden Calf as "a great sin" (Exodus 32:21, 30) and punished the worshipers (Exodus ch.32). During the rest of his lifetime and that of Joshua (Judges 2:7), no incidents of Israelite idolatry were reported.

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Shortly before he died, Moses warned the people that he suspected that they would eventually succumb to the lure of the idols (Deuteronomy 29:17). Joshua gave a similar warning (Joshua ch.24).
These warnings came true. Many of the Israelites went astray after the foreign gods (Judges 2:11). However, they never invented their own idol. It was always the baneful influence of other peoples. And there were times when the entire Israelite nation repented (Judges 2:1-4) and prayed to God (Judges 3:9, 3:15, 6:6, 10:10).
Those who did sin did not represent or influence normative Judaism, just as the later Sadducees and Essenes did not. They were deviating from the Torah's standard; they were publicly, repeatedly, and scathingly excoriated by the prophets, and they caused God's retribution to come upon the entire people (2 Kings ch.17).

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Because of the idol-worship that did happen, ancient images of idols have been found in Israel too. Images of God aren't found because it is forbidden to represent Him through imagery (Deuteronomy 4:15-16).
It should be noted that idolatry was never universal among the Israelites. The belief in One God was continued in every generation, whether by the few or the many; and it is those who handed down that tradition whose beliefs we Jews continue today. Deborah ascribed victory to God (Judges 4:14), Gideon tore down the idolatrous altar (Judges 6:25-27); Samson prayed to God (Judges 16:28), as did Hannah (1 Samuel 1:11) and Samuel (ibid. 12:18); Eli blessed in the name of God (1 Samuel 2:20), Saul built an altar to God (1 Samuel 14:35); Jonathan ascribed victory to God (1 Samuel 14:12), as did David (1 Samuel 17:46); and Solomon built the Temple for God (1 Kings 8:20). A number of the kings "did what was right in God's eyes": David (1 Kings 15:5), Solomon (see 1 Kings 3:3), Asa (1 Kings 15:11), Yehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:43), Yehu (2 Kings 10:30), Yehoash (2 Kings 12:3), Amatziah (2 Kings 14:3), Azariah (2 Kings 15:3), Yotam (2 Kings 15:34), Hizkiah (2 Kings 18:3), and Josiah (2 Kings 22:2). Part of this righteousness was their destroying whatever idolatrous incursions had occurred among the populace (1 Samuel 7:3-4, 2 Chronicles 15:8, 2 Chronicles 17:6, 2 Kings 18:4). Even at the height of the unfortunate spread of idolatry among the less-loyal Ten Tribes, there were thousands who remained loyal to God (1 Kings 19:18).
And, of course, the Prophets, who spoke in the name of God and warned against idolatry: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea and so on.
The later sages of the Talmud, who ridiculed idolatry (Megillah 25b), were simply continuing in the tradition of the Prophets whose verses are quoted in that context (ibid.).

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More information:
While no excuse should be made for those Israelites who strayed, the following may at least clarify the topic a little.
1) The ancients were tested by a powerful lure towards idolatry. We don't understand it because conditions have changed (Talmud, Yoma 69b).
2) Most Israelites (if not all) who committed idolatry didn't completely forget about their One God. They introduced idols into the picture.
3) It was thought that each nation has its own god. They thought that they needed to propitiate the gods of the nations around them so that those gods "wouldn't give military victory" to those nations over the land of Israel.
4) They figured that they would acknowledge other gods "just in case," and that it would be no worse than someone today who carries a "lucky" penny or rabbit's foot.

Answer 3

B. Lang tells us, "In the four and a half centuries during which there were one or two Israelite monarchies (ca. 1020-586 B.C.), there was a dominant, polytheistic religion that was indistinguishable from that of neighboring peoples. Insofar as there were differences between the Ammonite, Moabite, Edomite, Tyrian, etc. versions of religion, these beliefs stayed within the framework of Near Eastern polytheism, and each should be interpreted as a local variant of the same basic pattern. The Israelites . . . venerated their own protector god who was there to provide for health and family. But they venerated Yahweh[God]as well, the regional and national god, whose special domain dealt with war and peace issues."

A: Hebrews were monotheist (only one god) and they didn't believe in afterlife. Their belief was like our actually beliefs. The Hebrew belief was Judaism.

A:The Jews, and by their earlier name the Hebrews, have always believed in One God (since Abraham; see also Isaiah 41:8). God wrecked the Egyptian idols (Exodus 12:12) and warned against idolatry (Exodus 22:19). Abraham worshiped "the Lord God of Heaven and Earth" (Genesis 14:22 and 24:3) and complained about the Philistines' lack of fear of God (Genesis 20:11). Jacob confiscated the idolatrous images taken from Shechem (Genesis 35:2) and got rid of them (Genesis 35:4); and refrained from invoking the gods of Nahor (Genesis 31:53). Rachel pilfered Laban's statue-images (Genesis 31:19) in order to prevent him from idolatry (Rashi commentary, ibid.). Joseph placed his hope in the God of the Forefathers (Genesis 50:24). Moses characterized the Golden Calf as "a great sin" (Exodus 32:21, 30) and punished the worshipers (Exodus ch.32). During the rest of his lifetime and that of Joshua (Judges 2:7), no incidents of Jewish idolatry were reported.

Shortly before he died, Moses warned the people that he suspected that they would eventually succumb to the lure of the idols (Deuteronomy 29:17). Joshua gave a similar warning (Joshua ch. 24).

These warnings came true. Many of the Israelites went astray after the foreign gods (Judges 2:11). However, the Jews never invented their own idol. It was always the baneful influence of other peoples. And there were times when the entire Jewish nation repented (Judges 2:1-4) and prayed to God (Judges 3:9, 3:15, 6:6, 10:10).

Because of the idol-worship that did happen, images of idols have been found in Israel too. Images of God aren't found because it is forbidden to represent Him through imagery (Deuteronomy 4:15-16).

It should be noted that idolatry was never universalamong the Jews. The tradition of the One God was handed down in every generation, whether by the few or the many; and it is those who handed down the tradition whose beliefs we Jews continue today. Deborah ascribed victory to God (Judges 4:14), Gideon tore down the idolatrous altar (Judges 6:25-27); Samson prayed to God (Judges 16:28), as did Hannah (1 Samuel 1:11) and Samuel (ibid. 12:18); Eli blessed in the name of God (1 Samuel 2:20), Saul built an altar to God (1 Samuel 14:35); Jonathan ascribed victory to God (1 Samuel 14:12), as did David (1 Samuel 17:46); and Solomon built the Temple for God (1 Kings 8:20). A number of the kings "did what was right in God's eyes": Asa (1 Kings 15:11), Yehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:43), Yehoash (2 Kings 12:3), Amatziah (2 Kings 14:3), Azariah (2 Kings 15:3), Yotam (2 Kings 15:34), Hizkiah (2 Kings 18:3), and Josiah (2 Kings 22:2).

And, of course, the Prophets, who spoke in the name of God and warned against idolatry: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea and so on.

Answer 4

the ancient israelites were monotheistic and they believed that creating images of God is unacceptable.

Answer 2

1. God exists, and is the Creator. 2. God is One and unique.

3. God is not physical.

4. God is eternal.

5. Prayer is to be directed only to God.

6. The words of the prophets are true.

The prophecies of the Hebrew Bible have been coming true throughout history. Even secular archaeologists (the unbiased ones) have stated that the Hebrew Bible is the most accurate of historical records, as the disdainful theories of Wellhausen and Bible-critics of his ilk have been shattered by the archaeologist's spade. A list of Bible verses which were deemed anachronistic but later shown to be perfectly accurate would run into the many hundreds.

7. God knows the thoughts and deeds of all.

8. God rewards the good and punishes the wicked.

9. The Messiah will come.

10. The dead will be resurrected.

Answer 5

Throughout history and recorded in the books of Kings in the bible, the Israelites continually turned away from the worship of the true God, Jehovah. The main focus of worship for these people was Ba'al, a despicable god that called for the sacrifice of children to carved idols. Thankfully a few faithful people, kings and prophets ensured that the true worship survived and the the foretold 'seed' of David was born. Jesus then showed the people that the true worship had strayed far away from the original 'Law' that was laid down and opened up the way for the people of the nations to be included amongst Jehovah's people.

Answer 6

A:The Bible tells us that the Israelites were the descendants of just one man, Jacob, or Israel. It says that he, in turn, was the grandson of Abraham, a man who grew up in Mesopotamia. It says that they believed in one God, although constantly 'back-sliding' and worshipping other gods. The Israelites occupied the larger, northern Hebrew kingdom of Israel, with their close relatives, the Jews, occupying Judah to the south. There might have been a previous United Monarchy ruled over by Kings SAul, David and Solomon, although Mark S Smith (The Early History of God) says that defending the historicity of biblical events purporting to date to the tenth century has become a more difficult proposition.

The strong consensus of scholars is that the Israelites were actually Canaanites who migrated peacefully from the region of the rich coastal cities into the hitherto sparsely populated mountainous interior. Long after they had forgotten their real origins, the Israelites developed traditions of a glorious past and great military victories over the Canaanites. Israel ceased to exist after its destruction by the Assyrians in 722 BCE, so had only a relatively short existence. However, the Jews began to call themselves Israelites during and after the Babylonian Exile, and claim hereditary rights to the former northern kingdom.

In spite of popular biblical legend, the Israelites were at all times polytheistic, as were the Jews until the time of the Babylonian Exile. This is well attested by recent archaeological discoveries. In fact it has been shown that many Israelites gave their children names with theophoric endings other than 'yw' (Yahweh), and including b'l (Baal) and various others. Lang, cited in English translation by Keel and Uehlinger (Gods, Goddesses and Images of God in Ancient Israel), says:

"In the four and a half centuries during which there were one or two Israelite monarchies (ca. 1020-586 B.C.), there was a dominant, polytheistic religion that was indistinguishable from that of neighboring peoples. Insofar as there were differences between the Ammonite, Moabite, Edomite, Tyrian, etc. versions of religion, these beliefs stayed within the framework of Near Eastern polytheism, and each should be interpreted as a local variant of the same basic pattern. The Israelites . . . venerated their own protector god who was there to provide for health and family. But they venerated Yahweh [God] as well, the regional and national god, whose special domain dealt with war and peace issues."

Answer 7

This world is a purposeful creation by God, in which all people are tested concerning their use of free-will. We possess a soul which lives on after the body dies and is held responsible for the person's actions. Anyone who is worthy can merit reward in the afterlife.
Here is a list of the most basic Israelite beliefs:
1. God exists, and is the Creator.
2. God is One and unique.
3. God is not physical.
4. God is eternal.
5. Prayer is to be directed only to God.
6. The words of the prophets are true.
The prophecies of the Hebrew Bible have been coming true throughout history. Even secular archaeologists (the unbiased ones) have stated that the Hebrew Bible is the most accurate of historical records, as the disdainful theories of Wellhausen and Bible-critics of his ilk have been shattered by the archaeologist's spade. A list of Bible verses which were deemed anachronistic but later shown to be perfectly accurate would run into the many hundreds.
7. The prophecies of Moses are true; and he was the greatest prophet.
8. The Torah was given to Moses by God.
9. There will be no other Torah.
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of all.
11. God rewards the good and punishes the wicked.
12. The Messiah will come.
13. The dead will be resurrected.

Answer 8

The term 'Hebrew' is used to refer to the people of Israel and of Judah prior to the Babylonian Exile. Biblical tradition tells us that these people were unique in believing in just one, true God, apart from some occasional lapses when foreign gods were worshipped. However, the archaeological evidence tells us otherwise.

Prior to the Babylonian Exile, there was actually very little difference between Hebrew beliefs and those of their neighbours. Scholars now know that the northern kingdom of Israel was at all times polytheistic, up until its destruction by the Assyrians in 722 BCE. The southern kingdom, Judah, had somewhat different religious beliefs, but was also polytheistic at least until the end of the monarchy. Archaeological evidence presented by Keel and Uehlinger (Gods, Goddesses and Images of God in Ancient Israel) shows that El, Baal, Yahweh (the modern Abrahamic God) and other gods were worshipped in the two kingdoms, as well as the "Naked Goddess" (probably Astarte) and the goddess Asherah, who may also have been the "Queen of Heaven" mentioned in the Bible. The Israelites and people of Judah worshipped the sun god, moon god and the "Hosts of Heaven". At different stages throughout history, it seems that Yahweh was variously seen as the moon god and the sun god.

After the seventh-century-BCE reign of King Josiah, who introduced the deuteronomistic reforms, and especially after the Babylonian Exile, monotheistic Judaism began to form, evolving into the religion we know today.

Answer 9

he Jews, and by their earlier name the Hebrews, have always believed in One God (since Abraham; see also Isaiah 41:8). God wrecked the Egyptian idols (Exodus 12:12) and warned against idolatry (Exodus 22:19). Abraham worshiped "the Lord God of Heaven and Earth" (Genesis 14:22 and 24:3) and complained about the Philistines' lack of fear of God (Genesis 20:11). Jacob confiscated the idolatrous images taken from Shechem (Genesis 35:2) and got rid of them (Genesis 35:4); and refrained from invoking the gods of Nahor (Genesis 31:53). Rachel pilfered Laban's statue-images (Genesis 31:19) in order to prevent him from idolatry (Rashi commentary, ibid.). Joseph placed his hope in the God of the Forefathers (Genesis 50:24). Moses characterized the Golden Calf as "a great sin" (Exodus 32:21, 30) and punished the worshipers (Exodus ch.32). During the rest of his lifetime and that of Joshua (Judges 2:7), no incidents of Jewish idolatry were reported.
Shortly before he died, Moses warned the people that he suspected that they would eventually succumb to the lure of the idols (Deuteronomy 29:17). Joshua gave a similar warning (Joshua ch. 24).
These warnings came true. Many of the Israelites went astray after the foreign gods (Judges 2:11). However, the Jews never invented their own idol. It was always the baneful influence of other peoples. And there were times when the entire Jewish nation repented (Judges 2:1-4) and prayed to God (Judges 3:9, 3:15, 6:6, 10:10).
Because of the idol-worship that did happen, images of idols have been found in Israel too. Images of God aren't found because it is forbidden to represent Him through imagery (Deuteronomy 4:15-16).
It should be noted that idolatry was never universal among the Jews. The tradition of the One God was handed down in every generation, whether by the few or the many; and it is those who handed down the tradition whose beliefs we Jews continue today. Deborah ascribed victory to God (Judges 4:14), Gideon tore down the idolatrous altar (Judges 6:25-27); Samson prayed to God (Judges 16:28), as did Hannah (1 Samuel 1:11) and Samuel (ibid. 12:18); Eli blessed in the name of God (1 Samuel 2:20), Saul built an altar to God (1 Samuel 14:35); Jonathan ascribed victory to God (1 Samuel 14:12), as did David (1 Samuel 17:46); and Solomon built the Temple for God (1 Kings 8:20). A number of the kings "did what was right in God's eyes": Asa (1 Kings 15:11), Yehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:43), Yehoash (2 Kings 12:3), Amatziah (2 Kings 14:3), Azariah (2 Kings 15:3), Yotam (2 Kings 15:34), Hizkiah (2 Kings 18:3), and Josiah (2 Kings 22:2).
And, of course, the Prophets, who spoke in the name of God and warned against idolatry: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea and so on.

Answer 10

They believed in One God, creator of the universe. Abraham worshiped "the Lord God of Heaven and Earth" (Genesis 14:22 and 24:3) and complained about the Philistines' lack of fear of God (Genesis 20:11).

• Link: A biography of Abraham

Jacob confiscated the idolatrous images taken from Shechem (Genesis 35:2) and got rid of them (Genesis 35:4); and refrained from invoking the gods of Nahor (Genesis 31:53). Rachel pilfered Laban's statue-images (Genesis 31:19) in order to prevent him from idolatry (Rashi commentary, ibid.). Joseph placed his hope in the God of the Forefathers (Genesis 50:24).
At the time of the Exodus, God wrecked the Egyptian idols (Exodus 12:12) and warned against idolatry (Exodus 22:19). Later, Moses characterized the Golden Calf as "a great sin" (Exodus 32:21, 30) and punished the worshipers (Exodus ch.32). During the rest of his lifetime and that of Joshua (Judges 2:7), no incidents of Israelite idolatry were reported.

• Link: What happened with the Golden Calf?
  

Later, there were times when some (or many) of the Israelites went astray after foreign gods (Judges ch.2), but that is not Judaism - it's the abandonment of Judaism. Those who did sin did not represent or influence normative Judaism, just as the later Sadducees and Essenes did not. They were deviating from the Torah's standard, and they were publicly, repeatedly, and scathingly excoriated by the prophets.

• Link: The prophets

See also the other Related Links.

Link: Reliability of the Hebrew Bible

Link: What do Jews believe God is like?