Abraham became father to Isaac, Isaac became father to Jacob, and Jacob became known by the new name Israel.

  One of Israel's sons was named Judah, and it was from this one that the Jews got their name. It was also from the tribe of Judah that a great one was promised, and from this tribe also eventually Jesus was also born.

  Another of Israel's twelve sons was named Levi, and it was from this tribe that the man Moses was born. During a time of famine in Egypt and the surrounding lands, Israel's other son Joseph happened to be ruling Egypt. So it also came about that Israel's whole family moved to Egypt in order to be with Joseph and receive needed provisions. By the time Moses was born, however, the Israelites were under hard slavery by the Egyptians. It was the man Moses who, with his brother Aaron, brought the Israelites out of Egypt after many trials.   After coming out of Egypt, the Israelites wandered for forty years in the wilderness, before Moses' minister Joshua brought them into the Promised Land, which is located in the vicinity of modern-day Israel.