According to the Bible, the origins of the Israelites can be traced back to the patriarch Abraham, who is considered the father of the Israelite people. The story begins in the Book of Genesis, where God makes a covenant with Abraham and promises to give him and his descendants the land of Canaan.
Abraham’s son, Isaac, and grandson, Jacob (also known as Israel), play important roles in the biblical narrative. Jacob’s twelve sons, including Joseph, eventually become the heads of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.
The Israelites’ story continues in the Book of Exodus, where they are enslaved in Egypt for several generations. God raises up Moses as a leader and delivers the Israelites from bondage, leading them on a journey to the Promised Land.
The Book of Joshua describes the Israelites’ conquest of Canaan under Joshua’s leadership. The Israelites establish themselves as a Nation in the land and go on to experience periods of prosperity, as well as periods of exile and captivity due to their disobedience to God.
The Bible presents the Israelites as a chosen people with a special relationship with God, rooted in their ancestral connections to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.