Important Events in Jewish History

APPROXIMATE DATE	EVENT ,	BIBLICAL REFERENCE
1750 BCE	Abraham called to his role	Gen 12
1250	Exodus led by Moses	Exod 13-15
1210	Invasion of Canaan led by Joshua	Josh 1-24
1210-1020	Period of tribal confederacy (Judges)	Judg 1-21
1020-922	Period of United Kingdom
1020	Saul becomes first king of Israel	1 Sam 10
1000	David becomes king	2 Sam 2—21, 1 Kings 2
961	Solomon becomes king	1 Kings 3—11
922	Israel and Judah divide	1 Kings 12
850	Elijah prophesies	1 Kings 17 through 2 Kings 2
825	Elisha prophesies	1 Kings 19, 2 Kings 2- 1 3
742	First Isaiah prophesies	Isa 1-39
722	Israel falls to Assyria	2 Kings 17

Table captionSource Adapted with modifications from J Benton White, From Adam to Armageddon: A Survey of the Bible, 2nd ed (Belmont, Calif Wadsworth, 1991), 37 © by Wadsworth, Inc Reprinted by permission of the publisher

about 1750 B.C.E. (B.C.E. means before the common era, or before the beginning of the time that Jews and Christians share That is, before Jesus' birth.) The Jews believe God established a covenant, or testament, with Abraham (Gen 12: 1-3). This contract became the basis of the Jewish religion. It promised that, in return for faithfulness, Abraham's descendants would become a great nation, would enjoy God's special favor, and would be the means by which all the families of the earth would be blessed The covenant was renewed several times in different periods and with different leaders, and the events of Jewish history were measured against it by their holy men. The keeping of their covenant with God was seen as the reason for their prosperous times. The tragedies that befell the Jews often were seen as the result of violations of their agreement

Abraham and his people were originally called Hebrews. This name changed as God's special relationship with Abraham was passed on to his son Isaac and then to Isaac's son Jacob The Bible tells of Jacob's wrestling with a divine stranger (an "angel") at Peniel (Gen 32 22-32). Here he received the