Early Monotheism: Judaism

Geography of Canaan and Persia

Both Egypt’s and Mesopotamia’s people practiced polytheism or religion with many gods. The Bantu practiced polytheism and animism (the belief that everything in nature has a spirit). There were also two early Monotheistic religions before 300 BCE. Monotheism is the belief in one god. These two religions were Judaism, practiced by the ancient Hebrews, and Zoroastrianism, practiced by the Persians. The Hebrews and the Persians were influenced by geography and the civilizations around them. We will begin our discussion with the Hebrew people and their religion, Judaism.

Judaism: Ancient Hebrews

The Ancient Hebrews began as a group living in Mesopotamia. Their history, along with their moral codes, religious beliefs, and laws, were recorded in the Tanakh. The earliest history is recorded in the beginning of the Tanakh, called the Torah. The Torah explains that a Hebrew man named Abraham, the founder of Judaism, was born in southern Mesopotamia. He believed he heard the voice of God offering a covenant (promise): If Abraham and his future children follow one god, Abraham and his descendants would live in the Promised Land.

The Hebrews settled in what they called the Promised Land, in Canaan. Canaan was near several water sources: the Mediterranean Sea, the Jordan River, and the Sea of Galilee, but the land had so many hills that it did not develop as much agriculture as Egypt or Mesopotamia. Instead, they raised animals, which meant that they were nomadic, or moved from place to place with their herds. This meant it took longer for them to create cities and make new inventions. It also meant that they were sometimes invaded.

Culture and History of The Hebrew People

According to the Torah, the Hebrews eventually left Canaan to live in Egypt for hundreds of years. When they escaped back to Canaan, their new leader, Moses, received new laws from God. Some of these laws were the 10 Commandments, which included responsibilities to God (correct ways to worship) and responsibilities to each other (forbidding murder and theft). Even today, many followers of Judaism will focus on social justice.

The Kingdom of Israel

Eventually, under King David and his son King Solomon, the many Jewish groups living in Canaan united. They established the kingdom of Israel as a theocracy with the capital city of Jerusalem. Trade prospered, Solomon’s Temple was constructed, and the kings wrote new poems and songs. Unfortunately, after those kings died, the Hebrews were enslaved by the Mesopotamians. Luckily for the Hebrews, the Persians freed the Hebrews when they conquered Babylon/Mesopotamia. Because the Persians were also Monotheistic, the two groups helped each other. Some Hebrews chose to stay in Persia, while the Persian leader helped rebuild Solomon’s temple after it was destroyed. Eventually, after being invaded by other neighboring groups like the Greeks and the Romans, the Hebrews focused their attention on teaching their beliefs in buildings called Synagogues (a place of worship and religious education) led by Rabbis (religious teachers). Today, people who follow Judaism still are taught by rabbis in synagogues, regard Jerusalem as a holy city, and sometimes travel to the remains of Solomon’s Temple to pray.

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