Israelites around 1200 B.C.
According to mainstream historians, there were no "Abraham" and no "Moses," though there might have been a kind of Abraham or a kind of Moses in real history or as historical facts.
How the tribe called Israelites was established is still an enigma and a matter of controversy. Accordingly, they say that there were no "Israelites" before 1200 B.C., though there might have been a kind of Israelites.
The Exodus is also another issue, since no ancient Egyptian records show this kind of large-scale incidents. Accordingly, they say that there was no "Exodus," though there might have been a kind of Exodus.
What is worse, some episodes on "Abraham" in the Old Testament are similar to those on "Isaac."
It is just like historically neither official records nor authentic reports on "Jesus Christ" were made when He was alive or just some time after His death and resurrection except those in the Gospels.
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The key must lie in movements and situations in Egypt who controlled Palestine around 1200 B.C.
Pharaohs Ramesses II and Merneptah must be also key figures who governed Egypt around 1200 B.C. when Moses carried out the Exodus in whatever holy manner.
"Pharaoh Ramesses II and the Hittite king met at Kadesh in the mountains containing the headwaters of the Orontes in northern Syria in July of 1274 B.C.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kadesh)."
Merneptah also went on a military expedition to Syria around 1205 B.C. and built a stone monument on which Israelite was mentioned: "Israel is wasted, bare of seed; Khor (Palestine) is become a widow for Egypt
(http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/merenphatvictorystele.htm). "
This is the only description about Israel in all the ancient Egyptian documents.
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1) "Yahweh" seems to be the name of God Moses and his followers who had fled from Egypt introduced, while "El" is the God's name embedded in "Israel" since the era of Jacob, though it is still unclear how Abraham actually called his God.
3) As Moses, though this name is of an Egyptian origin but not a Canaan origin, was recognized as one of descendants of Abraham, the Israelites who never left Canaan must have welcomed him and followed the way Moses called his God for a certain reason.
3) According to archaeological research, it is these people who appeared around 1200 B.C. in mountain areas of Palestine or Canaan that evolved into the academically identified tribe of Israelites, though influence of the Exodus on them is unclear.
Probably, when Moses, joining other Israelites who had never left Canaan and worshipped "El," displayed to them the mighty power of "Yahweh" (probably linked with introduction of iron weapons which Hittite originally developed), the then low-profile tribe of Israelites got galvanized spiritually and boosted into a major power in Palestine.
Though it is not clearly defined by historians when and how the Exodus occurred, it is regarded as authentic to think that some local people in Canaan established themselves around 1200 B.C. by unifying various and miscellaneous tribes, resulting in creation of the new tribe Israelites so recognized even to the present day without major change in its members (probably except in Khazar around the 9th century).
Nonetheless, there is no authentic explanation who and what Israelites were, if they had historically existed, before 1200 B.C. apart from too vague and fairy-tale descriptions in the Old Testament, according to historians.
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The core of Israelites living before 1200 B.C. must be descendants of Sumerians.
In Canaan since the early Bronze Age, there were many towns in its plain areas. However, around 2200 B.C they ebbed away. Nonetheless, from 2000 B.C. to 1600 B.C, towns were again built and enjoyed prosperity.
When Ur and the last Sumerian kingdom in Mesopotamia collapsed around 2000 B.C. after various upheavals which led some Sumerians out of Mesopotamia to Canaan, Abraham and his group settled in Canaan around 1900 B.C., in my opinion.
In these proceedings, they lost original Mesopotamian traits and adopted a local language and culture; they became completely Semitic except the faith in the God of Abraham's family.
However, they underwent a decline period being involved in wars and conflicts between various powers including Egypt, Hittite, Assyria, and so on; In this period, some of Abraham descendants must have been forced to move to Egypt.
But, behold, Moses and his followers came out of Egypt with mighty iron weapons and the new name of God "Yahweh" to join their relatives having been driven unfortunately to the mountain areas of Canaan.
From this stage, history presents clear progression of Israelites as an identified tribe.
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In most cases, the main reason why we cannot find historical truth is our arrogance as well as the lack of respect to our ancestors and ancient people (without mentioning meaningless or self-dramatizing interpretation by some religious professionals). They had less scientific knowledge but far greater wisdom and strength than we have today.
And, I really think that the God requests mankind to understand why He chose Abraham and his family 4000 years ago when He saw the man leaving Ur.
(If the God requests us to understand why He chose Mitochondrial Eve, we may all soon become history due to God's Anger, for we have left Africa behind so sinfully and irresponsibly in atrocities sometimes.
Yet, good and brave girls, in order to save mankind and secure at least its 22nd century, you may try hard to become another Mitochondrial Eve. Indeed, God might choose you, no matter how you call your God.
[I am already prepared, O God, to be called by My Lord to be another Abraham, looking forward to the 61st century.])
"...Jesus Answered, 'Before Abraham Was Born, I Am.'..."