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The conflict between the Hebrew (Jewish) and Arab peoples is described by some as a family feud.  Both sides are descended from the same father, Abraham, as recounted in Genesis 16.  But Jewish and Arab peoples trace their lineage from different sons of Abraham who were rivals for their father's love.  The Bible states that Jewish people are descendants of Isaac, the child of Abraham and Sarah.  The Koran (the main holy book of Islam) states that Arabs are descended from Ishmael, the son of Abraham (then Abram) and the Egyptian woman Hagar.  The Old Testament teaches that Abraham offered to sacrifice his son Isaac to the Lord, while Islam teaches that Abraham's sacrifice was of his son Ishmael.  Islam teaches that Ishmael helped Abraham build a mosque in Mecca (the venerated Kaaba).  Ishmael went a different way from the rest of Abraham's family, and there have been hard feelings by Ishmael's descendants ever since.  Note that the Bible's version of this was written first, preceding the Koran by over a thousand years.

The conflict between the Hebrew (Jewish) and Arab peoples is described by some as a family feud.  Both sides are descended from the same father, Abraham, as recounted in Genesis 16.  But Jewish and Arab peoples trace their lineage from different sons of Abraham who were rivals for their father's love.  The Bible states that Jewish people are descendants of Isaac, the child of Abraham and Sarah.  The Koran (the main holy book of Islam) states that Arabs are descended from Ishmael, the son of Abraham (then Abram) and the Egyptian woman Hagar.  The Old Testament teaches that Abraham offered to sacrifice his son Isaac to the Lord, while Islam teaches that Abraham's sacrifice was of his son Ishmael.  Islam teaches that Ishmael helped Abraham build a mosque in Mecca (the venerated Kaaba).  Ishmael went a different way from the rest of Abraham's family, and there have been hard feelings by Ishmael's descendants ever since.  Note that the Bible's version of this was written first, preceding the Koran by over a thousand years.

The ancient Hebrews who were descended from Jacob migrated away from Ur in Mesopotamia to Palestine, where they resided between 2000 and about 1500 B.C.  But they migrated over to Egypt to escape a bad famine.  There they served as slaves for perhaps hundreds of years, though they undoubtedly contributed greatly to the intellectual progress of the Egyptian culture.  As described in the Book of Exodus, Moses (who had been adopted by a royal family there) ultimately led 600,000 Hebrews out of Egypt around 1250 B.C.<ref>1250 B.C. is known as the "late date" or estimate for the time of the Exodus; the "early date" or estimate for the Exodus is 1447 B.C.</ref>  Egyptian historians refer to slaves and captives called "Hapiru", but some doubt that these were the Hebrews.  Regardless, the Bible contains many verified references to the Egyptian pharaohs demonstrating that the Jewish ancestors were in Egypt.  The Hebrews' escape from Egypt is called the "Exodus", and is described by that book in the Old Testament.  During the passage, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. (In Manhattan today there is a famous medical school on the upper East Side named "Mount Sinai.")  Moses is also credited as being the scribe for the first five books of the Bible (the "Pentateuch" or, when part of a parchment scroll in the Jewish liturgy, the "Torah").

The ancient Hebrews who were descended from Jacob migrated away from Ur in Mesopotamia to Palestine, where they resided between 2000 and about 1500 B.C.  But they migrated over to Egypt to escape a bad famine.  There they served as slaves for perhaps hundreds of years, though they undoubtedly contributed greatly to the intellectual progress of the Egyptian culture.  As described in the Book of Exodus, Moses (who had been adopted by a royal family there) ultimately led 600,000 Hebrews out of Egypt around 1250 B.C.<ref>1250 B.C. is known as the "late date" or estimate for the time of the Exodus; the "early date" or estimate for the Exodus is 1447 B.C.</ref>  Egyptian historians refer to slaves and captives called "Hapiru", but some doubt that these were the Hebrews.  Regardless, the Bible contains many verified references to the Egyptian pharaohs demonstrating that the Jewish ancestors were in Egypt.  The Hebrews' escape from Egypt is called the "Exodus", and is described by that book in the Old Testament.  During the passage, Moses received the Ten Commandments from God on Mount Sinai. (In Manhattan today there is a famous medical school on the upper East Side named "Mount Sinai.")  Moses is also credited as being the scribe for the first five books of the Bible (the "Pentateuch" or in Hebrew תּוֹרָה, the Torah).

The dates given below are estimates, and the homework encourages you to improve on them:

The dates given below are estimates, and the homework encourages you to improve on them: