lishing
themselves in Babylonia and Canaan, they were at other times driven back
into the desert when the native inhabitants in turn attacked the
invaders. Migrating into Egypt in search of food, they were made a
captive nation and escaped again into the desert when the Egyptians were
engaged in fighting the savage invaders from Libya.

The leader of this flight from Egypt was the prophet Moses. The Martian
decides to investigate the character and deeds of this influential
figure at another time. It is probable that the exodus gave the proper
stimulus for the beginnings of a distinctive Hebrew religion, and was
the reason for their finally establishing themselves in Canaan, with
Jehovah as their chief deity. It has often been proclaimed that the
value of Judaism has been in first establishing a religion of
monotheism; but it must not be forgotten that centuries before the
Hebrews escaped into the desert, the Egyptians were tending to
monotheism. It is known that one god was exalted over all the rest in
Egypt, and that as far back as 1375 B.C. King Ikhnaton made the religion
of Egypt an absolute monotheism. The Hebrews, in proclaiming their
Yahveh as the one and supreme deity, were but following what they had
assimilated from the Egyptians. The faith of these desert marauders, at
the time of their entrance into Canaan, was as crude and savage as the
Hebrews themselves. Brought into contact with the gods of the
Phoenicians and Babylonians, their Yahveh underwent a change, as have
all other creeds since that time when brought into contact with another
creed. The final idea of Yahveh accepted by the Hebrews was not the
product of a sudden revelation but of a gradual evolution.

The Hebrews, about the twelfth century B.C., gained access into Canaan,
and at first were successful in warfare, so that under King David they
presented the aspect of a united nation. However, following the
extravagant reign of King Solomon, the nation was embroiled in a
revolution, and the land was divided into two kingdoms--Israel in the
north, Judah in the south. These two tiny kingdoms were habitually at
war with each other and, finally, in 722 B.C. Israel was conquered,
while in 586 B.C., Judah was defeated and its population either
scattered or taken into captivity.

In 538 B.C., Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylonia and set the exiles
free. Returning to their own land, the exiles took back with them the
law code which the priests had manufact