Changes

==History==

==History==

[[File:Twelve Tribes of Israel.JPG|thumb|left|Twelve Tribes of Israel.]]

[[File:Twelve Tribes of Israel.JPG|thumb|left|Twelve Tribes of Israel.]]

[[File:Baal thunderbolt Louvre AO15775.jpg|thumb|Stele of the Canaanite god Baal with a thunderbolt, 15th-13th century BC.]]

[[File:Baal thunderbolt Louvre AO15775.jpg|thumb|Stele of the Canaanite god [[Baal]] with a thunderbolt, 15th-13th century BC.]]

[[File:Map of the Holy Land.jpg|thumb|Map of the Holy Land Divided into the XII Tribes of Israel, by Emanuel Bowen, PUBLISHED 1752.]]

[[File:Map of the Holy Land.jpg|thumb|Map of the Holy Land Divided into the XII Tribes of Israel, by Emanuel Bowen, PUBLISHED 1752.]]

The name Israel refers to [[Jacob]] from the [[Bible]], the father of the [[Jews]] who would eventually create the kingdom of Israel.  (See the [[Genesis|Book of Genesis]] in the Bible.) Jacob's descendants were numerous, but were put under bondage in [[Egypt]].  The first attempt at forming a nation dates back to the migration or [[Exodus of Israel]] out of Egypt after being freed from their [[slavery]].  (See the [[Exodus|Book of Exodus]] in the Bible).  While the exact date is not known, the most likely scenario is in the 1400s B.C.  After 40 years of wandering, the Hebrews attempted to settle in the land of Canaan, after first having to fight battles with the inhabitants.  (See the [[Joshua (Biblical book)|Book of Joshua]] in the Bible).  The Jewish people lived for hundreds of years under Judges (See the [[Judges|Book of Judges]] in the Bible) before forming a monarchy under their first King, [[Saul]] in 1050 B.C.  Israel expanded under [[King David|David]] from 1010 to 970 B.C. and then reached its height under [[Solomon]] from 970 to 930 B.C.  With the death of Solomon the united kingdom of Israel split in two with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin forming their own nation, [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]]. (See [[I Samuel]], [[II Samuel]], [[I Kings]], [[I Chronicles]] in the Bible)

The name Israel refers to [[Jacob]] from the [[Bible]], the father of the [[Jews]] who would eventually create the kingdom of Israel.  (See the [[Genesis|Book of Genesis]] in the Bible.) Jacob's descendants were numerous, but were put under bondage in [[Egypt]].  The first attempt at forming a nation dates back to the migration or [[Exodus of Israel]] out of Egypt after being freed from their [[slavery]].  (See the [[Exodus|Book of Exodus]] in the Bible).  While the exact date is not known, the most likely scenario is in the 1400s B.C.  After 40 years of wandering, the Hebrews attempted to settle in the land of Canaan, after first having to fight battles with the inhabitants.  (See the [[Joshua (Biblical book)|Book of Joshua]] in the Bible).  The Jewish people lived for hundreds of years under Judges (See the [[Judges|Book of Judges]] in the Bible) before forming a monarchy under their first King, [[Saul]] in 1050 B.C.  Israel expanded under [[King David|David]] from 1010 to 970 B.C. and then reached its height under [[Solomon]] from 970 to 930 B.C.  With the death of Solomon the united kingdom of Israel split in two with the tribes of Judah and Benjamin forming their own nation, [[Kingdom of Judah|Judah]]. (See [[I Samuel]], [[II Samuel]], [[I Kings]], [[I Chronicles]] in the Bible)