Ancient Israeli religion differed from the other two cultures. They only believed in one god, while Egypt and Mesopotamia believed in many, and believed that there were people who could communicate with the gods. Israelite kings ruled, guided and governed their people, sat upon a throne in a palace, judged important court cases, and were the commanders-in-chief of the military. But the Israeli people did not believe that the human king was the mediator between God and people, or the one who integrated people with the natural world. Israel’s true king was Yahweh. The three primary components which unite themselves in the Israelite metaphor of god are: Yahweh is Lord and king of the world, Yahweh is a mighty warrior who destroys his enemies, and Yahweh is a judge over his kingdom. 
There was a disparity between Mesopotamian and Israeli thinking, because Israel had altered Mesopotamian ideas that they inherited. Mesopotamian polytheism labeled their gods with an infinite amount of powers in nature, which were organized into socio-political and family structures which sometimes ended up destroying other gods in a battle over dominance. The concept of God in Israel clearly distinguishes between the Creator and forces of nature. According to them, nature has no power, except for Yahweh establishing the sea and earth and regulating the boundaries. When the power of a thousand nature gods is consolidated in the power of one God, he becomes the king, which was foreign to Mesopotamian thinking. The second major contrast between the two religions was the relationship which existed between man and his one true god. Israel's relationship was defined by the word of God and the acts of God on behalf of Israel. You did not incorporate yourself with the forces of nature through religion, but through your will and the will of God. A third contrast involved the relationship between the king and the God. In Israel, the king was not the high priest, and God did not reveal his will to Israel through the king. Israelite kings were judged and criticized by the priests and prophets, for they were primarily servants of Yahweh. 
The Israelites were thought to have been enslaved by the Egyptians. The Israelites could have been heading into Egypt in search of water during famine, and were enslaved by the Pharaohs in the process. Egyptian sources confirmed that forced labor was imposed on foreigners during the general period when the oppression of the Israelites occurred. Several of the geographical sites on the Exodus path described in the Bible are confirmed in Egyptian records of the New Kingdom. Ancient Israelites believe in the Exodus, and it served as the foundation for their religion and self-understanding. It is viewed as the event that gave birth to the nation of Israel. The Bible, the Torah, historical books, and the Prophets all offer no other story about Israel’s origins, and label the Exodus as the central event. Yahweh proclaims in the Ten Commandments that he is their one true Lord, who led them out of Egypt and out of their bondage. Therefore, the reason for Israel’s commitment to their god Yahweh is because he freed them from slavery and led them out of Egypt.
