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CONGRUITIES AND INCONGRUITIES BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN |
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The origin of the Jewish religion goes back to Abraham (1800 B.C.). God, by His grace, appointed Abraham as prophet when he was 75 years old. (See, the present Book, Chapter Abraham). He had two sons: Ishmael and Isaac; the former being the ancestor of the Arabs and the latter of the Jews.
After Abraham's decease, circa 1700 B.C., the era of Isaac started. He, like his father was a prophet, faithful to God. He had two sons: Jacob and Esau. Of the two brothers, God had chosen Jacob as a prophet. And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. « And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel.» (Genesis 35/9, 10) One daughter and twelve sons were born to him: Jacob, Joseph and Judah were among the said twelve sons. The community was later on divided into 12 clans and received the name of Israelites. Judah was to be a leader who had carried on their Covenant with God, and King David and King Solomon descended from him. The name Judah is the origin of the word 'Jew'.
The story of Joseph dates back to 1544 B.C. Being the favorite of his father, he had aroused the jealousy of his brothers who murdered him and threw him into a pit. However, he was not dead and was saved by caravan traders and sold as slaves to Potiphar, the captain of Pharoah's guard, and to become ultimately his mojordomo. He was a good-looking, intelligent and industrious youngman. By the time he became an adult, God had blessed him with wisdom and power to dominate. Joseph had successfully interpreted Pharoah's dream. He ended by becoming the head of Pharoah's Treasury. Eventually Pharoah saw no inconvenience to invite the entire family of Joseph to Egyp. In the year 1522, Jacob the father, with his 11 sons, wives and their grandchildren, namely a family of 70 members immigrated to Egypt where they were given fertle lands. This family had formed the core of the Jewish nation.
THE PERIOD OF MOSES, JOSHUA AND JUDGES