Israelite symbolic structures

                “Israel is laid waste and his seed is not”. This is a famous inscription (merneptah stele) for the time of the great Egyptians talking about the enslavement of the Israelites in the late Bronze Age.  The artifact was one of the first known inscriptions of the Israelites being known as Israelis; but in the bible they were known as the chosen people of god. Because of a great famine the Israelites had to move into Egypt where they were enslaved by the farrows; until they were saved and led out by Moses. Moses took the remaining Israelites south on the western coast to find Canaan but stopped to find the Sinai Mountains.
In the Torah (Jewish bible) it took them 3 months to travel there. Moses climbed the mountain and was given the word of god and that is where he was given the 10 commandments and they were written on a stone slab. The majority of the commands were about only worshiping him and by doing that god will protect them. But there was one command that was very important and that was Moses had to build their first temple on that hill. The temple was called the Tabernacle witch was an elaborate tent made up of wood, gold, and rich fabrics in shades of purple and red. Also crated there was Israel’s first priest. After the creation of their religion was created they continued there journey to the promise land of Canaan.

In 1200 BCE mosses died at the borders of Canaan to find out that the land was occupied by another civilization. After his death an Israelite named Joshua took control and was given the word from god to take Canaan for their own. Historians say that this battle to take Canaan took years to fight but in the end the Israelites were successful and took the holy land. Because of this victory the Israelites were able to start up and make their nation of Israel and continue to grow their religion.          

In around 1000-970 BCE king David made Jerusalem the capital of Israel. Not long after that the first temple was created by Solomon. During the time of David and Solomon he had sinned by letting his wives worship their own god; and because of that and other kings doing a bad job in the north of Israel Canaan was divided.  In 587 BCE god allowed the Babylonian army captured Jerusalem and destroyed there temple and exiled the Jewish people. But god did not forget about the Israelites and the king of Persia allowed them to return to Jerusalem and the second temple was built. After that the city priests regained control and the sacrificial ways continued.  After that time the world was then on controlled by empires and no longer controlled by states and small tribes.

10 command (categories of commands):

1.       Belief in lord and the god

2.       Prohibition of Improper Worship

3.       Prohibition of Oaths

4.       Observance of Sacred Times

5.       Respect for Parents and Teachers (mother and father)

6.       Prohibition of Physically Harming a Person

7.       Prohibition of Sexual Immorality

8.       Prohibition of Theft

9.       Prohibition of Harming a Person through Speech

10.   Prohibition of Coveting