Israelite history

The Israelites as a people have lived for over three thousand years, if Abraham can be agreed to be the first. Israelites are now known as Jews which comes from "Judean". Although the Israelite people have been around for thousands of years, they only really obtained a  country of their own in about the 12th century BC. Abraham left the fertile and booming Sumeria, following God's voice to go to the more dry land of Canaan. After receiving a promise that not only would Abraham have as many descendants as the stars of the sky and the sands of the sea, as well as a promise that they would gain the Land of Canaan, he died. His descendants moved to Egypt in about the year 1875 BC due to a severe famine. Their they stayed highly regarded perhaps at first because of Joesph (The son of Jacob, also known as Israel, who was Issac's son, Issac was Abraham's son.) Joesph helped Egypt immensely in the seven year famine and saw the evil of his un-compassion brothers, as something that GOD turned into something good. After all, hundreds of peoples lives were saved.

The Israelite people stayed in Egypt for four hundred years but eventually left, crossed what is now called the Red Sea and after forty years in the wilderness because of their sin, came to the promised land. But of course the land of Canaan wasn't empty so the Israelites went about killing thousands of people for two reasons;

Firstly to be used by GOD as "judgement" for the Canaanites' sins.
Secondly to fulfill GOD's promise to Abraham.

Although the conquest of Canaan was successful, after Joshua, (who was seen as the leading commander after GOD Himself.) died, matters became very poor. The Israelite people failed morally, culturally and military. Morally, because the majority had turned to the Canaanite religion, culturally because their Hebrew identity was being lost and militarily because they were being raided. This period, known as the Time of the Judges lasted about two hundred years. During this time bold men and woman, known as "judges" because they were causing GOD's Divine judgement to fall on Israel's enemies. Finally however in about 1043 BC Israel starts complaining and wants a king like other nations, Samuel (a prominent prophet at the time) becomes very upset, GOD however assures Samuel not to be upset, because they are not rejecting Samuel, they are rejecting GOD as King. Saul starts off well, but it turns out it was to difficult for him and he turns out to be an emotional wreck. Saul becomes jelious of David's military victories as the Israelite people say
"Saul has killed his thousands, but David has killed his ten-thousands (   ) Saul tries to kill David many times but fails, David has his opportunity to kill the king but remains faithful to his king. Eventually Saul is slaughtered at mount Goboa, along with his son Johnathan (David's close friend.) Although David is saddened by the lose, he becomes king and becomes one of the best king, politically and military speaking, Israel has even seen. This is the start of the golden age of Ancient Israel's history. King David manages to unite the twelve tribes of Israel and conquer the surrounding countries, although their seems no evidence that he expanded the kingdom of Israel, it was more about protection. On King David's death bed he chooses's Bathsheba (A woman who David saw bathing, who lost her husband because of King David and who eventually slept with him.)  son, Solomon who reigns as king.

Solomon's reign is very successful as well, at least at the beginning. He had both The First Holy Temple and his palace (which was about twice the size of The Holy Temple.) built, The Holy Temple took seven years and palace took thirteen years. Solomon's reign was pretty much completely peaceful. It was also very wealthy, especially in terms of silver.

Opinion

Some historians believe that Solomon's massive building projects actually caused nation-wide poverty. Let's hope Solomon was more wise then that, by the end of his life he had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines and had adoubted pagan beliefs.

After Solomon's death the kingdom split, the ten tribes (Asher, Ephraim, Levi, Reuben, Simeon, Dan, Naphtail, Gad, Issachar and Zebulun.) formed Israel in the north and the two tribes (Judah and Benjamine) formed Judah in the south.

Judah's capital was Jerusalem and Israel's capital  was Samaria. After the division they both fell into paganism numerous times, Judah was constantly at battle to keep the Israelite religion alive. Many time there was only a relatively small about of Prophets who were faithful, every so often a king would arise and clear out Canaanite-paganism, but sadly in time it returned.  Assyria eventually invaded Israel but Judah survived,
according The Holy Bible it was a miracle, while according to the Assyrian history, Hezekiah, the king at the time, was trapped like a bird in a cage and forced to pay off the Assyrians. Years, later the Babylonians rose, according to the prophets GOD had had enough. Jerusalem was destroyed, The Temple was destroyed and the Israelites were brought to Babylonia in exile.

Read Psalm 137 to read an account of the Israelite view of exile after arriving in Babylonia.

You can also read Lamentations in order to gain a view of sympathy for the huge lose that the Israelites felt.

After the exile Ezra and Nehemiah helped to rebuild Jerusalem, king Darius of Persia had issued a command
"“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and He has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Anyone of his people among you—may the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.’” (The Persians had taken over most of the middle east now, and unlike the Babylonians they were quite peaceful and tolerant. The Persian empire lasted from about 538 BC to 322 BC)

The years pasted by and the Greeks took over Judah, the Judean group, known as the Macabees revolted and were victorious. But then in 63 BC the Romans took control of Judah and called it Judea, about sixty years after this Jesus was born in about 4 AD.

Summary Timeline (Approximation)

1859 BC: The Israelites dwell in Egypt
1446 BC: The Israelites leave Egypt
1440 BC The Israelites invade Canaan
1374 BC-1070 BC: The Period of the Judges
1043 BC: Saul is king
1010 BC: Saul dies and David reigns.
1010 BC-931 BC: Ancient Israel's golden age (King David and King Solomon reign, The first Temple is built.)
931 BC: Israel and Judah split
609 BC: Israelites are allowed to return after Babylonian captivity.
520 BC: Jerusalem is restored.
322 BC: The Greeks invade Judah
63 BC: Romans invade Judah
4 AD: Jesus is born
33 AD: Jesus suffers and is resurrected.
80 AD: The Second Temple, which Herod had built is destroyed, along with Jerusalem as Jesus said.


Achievements:
Religiously: Monotheism, The Holy Bible.
Writing wise: The Holy Bible (66 Books that has and continue to inspire millions of people.)
Law: The Torah
Monumentally: The First Holy Temple.

Popular Israelites:
Abraham
Issac
Jacob (Israel)
Moses
Aaron
Samson
Gideon
Samuel
King David
King Solomon
King Josiah
King Hezekiah
Prophet Isaiah
Prophet Jeremiah
Prophet Ezekiel
Ezra
Nehemiah
Judas Maccabee

Jesus Christ