Religion Midterm 2026

Pentateuch

The Torah - Penta means five, and this part has the first 5 books of the bible: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers

Torah

The foundation of Judaism - their sacred text

Genesis

First book of the Bible, tells of creation and the patriarchs

Divisions of the Old Testament

Law, historical books, wisdom literature, prophets

Semite

Person descended from Shem, includes Hebrews

Patriarch

Male ancestor or leader of a family or tribe

Anthropomorphic

Describing God with human qualities

Adam

The man created by God, husband to Eve

Eve

The woman created by God, wife to Adam

Cain

Son of Adam who killed his brother, Abel

Abel

Son of Adam, murdered by Cain; he was a shepherd

Seth

Son of Adam, ancestor of Noah

Nimrod

Powerful early ruler mentioned in Genesis

Tower of Babel

Story explaining the origin of different languages

Noah

Righteous man saved from the flood

Kosher rules

Jewish dietary laws

Dove

The bird Noah sent out to find dry land: symbolize peace and healing

Rainbow

Sign of God's covenant after the flood

Bilhah

Rachel's servant, mother of Dan and Naphtali

Zilpah

Leah's servant, mother of Gad and Asher

Ur

Abraham's original homeland

Haran

City Abraham lived in before Canaan

Reuben

Jacob's firstborn son

Levi

Son of Jacob, ancestor of priests

Judah

Southern kingdom

Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Tree in Eden whose fruit is forbidden to eat by God, although Adam and Eve break this rule

The serpent

The creature that tempted Adam and Eve to eat the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil

Punishments

Consequences given to Adam and Eve, and the serpent after the fall

Flood (deluge)

God's destruction of the earth with water due to human sin

Covenant

A sacred agreement between God and humans

Henotheism

Belief in one main God while acknowledging others

Antediluvian

Referring to the time period before the flood

4 attributes of God

Omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, eternal

Clean versus unclean animals

Animals permitted or forbidden by God's law

Abraham (Abram)

Father of the Israelite nation

Sarah (Sarai)

Wife of Abraham, mother of Isaac

Hagar

Sarah's servant, mother of Ishmael

Ishmael

Son of Abraham and Hagar

Isaac

Son of Abraham and Sarah

Rebecca (Rebekkah)

Wife of Isaac, mother of Jacob and Esau

Laban

Rebecca's brother, father of Leah and Rachel

Jacob

Son of Isaac, later renamed Israel

Esau

Jacob's twin brother who sold his birthright

Rachel

Jacob's beloved wife, mother of Joseph and Benjamin

Leah

Jacob's first wife, mother of six sons

The 12 tribes of Israel

Descendants of Jacob's sons

Israel

New name given to Jacob, also the nation; northern kingdom after the split

Canaan

Promised land given to Abraham's descendants

The birthright

Special inheritance rights of the firstborn child (usually a son)

Joseph

Son of Jacob that was sold to slavery by his siblings and later became a leader in Egypt

Manasseh

Joseph's first son, ancestor of the tribe of Israel

Ephraim

Joseph's younger son, ancestor of a major tribe of Israel

Potiphar

Egyptian official who bought Joseph as a slave

Concubine

A woman who will bear children for a man but had a lower status than a wife

Monotheism

Belief in only one God (mono-one)

Issachar

Son of Jacob and Leah, tribe of Israel

Benjamin

Youngest son of Jacob

Potiphar's wife

Woman who falsely accused Joseph of rape because he didn't want to get with her

Pharaoh

Title for the ruler of Egypt, the king who refused to free the Israelites

Zaphnath-Paaneah

Egyptian name given to Joseph

Dan

Son of Jacob, tribe of Israel, and the tribe known for later idolatry

Naphtali

Son of Jacob and Bilhah

Zebulon

Simeon

Son of Jacob and Leah

Gad

Son of Jacob and Zilpah

Dinah

Daughter of Jacob and Leah

Asher

Son of Jacob and Zilpah

Moses

Leader who freed the Israelites from Egypt

Aaron

Moses' brother and first priest

Sinai

Mountain where Moses received the 10 commandments (the law)

Miriam

Sister of Moses and the prophetess

Pharaoh's daughter

Rescued and raised baby Moses

Burning bush

Where God spoke to Moses

Deborah

Prophetess and judge of Israel

Ruth

Loyal Moabite woman

Sisera

Enemy general defeated by Israel

Jael

Woman who killed Sisera

Solomon

Wise king, built the temple

Exodus

Israel's escape from Egypt

Midian (Median)

Region where Moses lived in exile

Plagues of Egypt

Ten disasters sent by God

Joshua

Leader who brought Israel to Canaan

YHWH or Yahweh

God's sacred name

Unleavened bread

Bread eaten during Passover

Quails

Birds God provided as food

Gideon

Judge who defeated Midianites

Bathsheba

Woman taken by King David

Samson

A judge with great strength

Delilah

Woman who betrayed Samson

The Temple

Holy building built in Jerusalem

Judges

Period of tribal leaders

Seder

Passover meal

Messianic king

Anointed ruler chosen by God

Manna

Bread from heaven given in the desert: means 'what is it' because no one knew what they were eating

Egypt

Land of Israelite slavery

Decalogue

The 10 commandments

10 Commandments

The set of laws God gave Moses on Mount Sinai

Promised Land

The land God promised to Abraham's descendants

Samuel

Prophet who anointed Kings

Kinsman redeemer

Relative who restores family rights