Much can be revealed from reading the documents of past civilizations yet at the same
time there are still many unanswered questions. The Hebrews are one civilization that can be
looked at through their documents. However, in order to fully understand the Hebrew culture a
general background must be given on them. The Hebrews first lived in Mesopotamia and then
journeyed on to Canaan or Palestine and some even ventured into Egypt. During the thirteenth
century B.C. the Hebrews were led out of Egypt, where they had been enslaved. Moses, the
leader of this exodus believed he was performing God's will and introduced the Hebrews to the
idea of one god, Yahweh. The Hebrews were one of the principle founders of western civilization,
and it is from them that the world has come to learn of the concept of ethical monotheism. This is
the belief in one God who expects incorruptible behavior from his people. Much is said
throughout the Ten Commandments, a Hebrew religious document, about what one should not
do, however not much emphasis is placed on the consequences of breaking the law. In the book
of Job, Job is punished for his sins, yet he has not committed any to his knowledge, and he falls
victim to injustice. The Hebrews base their lives on what is moral and what God tells them to do.
They are not supposed to stray from what is written in their religious works. Therefore, the
Hebrew society is based on laws that have no punishments, a god that can be unjust and a religion
Throughout the Ten Commandments there are many laws that are stated about what one
can and can not do. The Ten Commandments are basic laws that people should use to model their
lives. These laws, or ideals as they can be viewed as today are still in use. Even non-religious
people can look at these commandments as a way to lead their lives because, morally they are a
good standard. These commandments range from "you shall n...