--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It was the craving to be a one and only…" description: "\"It was the craving to be a one and only people which impelled the ancient Hebrews to invent a one and only God whose one and only people they were to b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/eric-hoffer-343_ancient_it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only_1028444.jpg" --- # It was the craving to be a one and only people which… ![“It was the craving to be a one and only people which impelled the ancient Hebrews to invent a one and only God whose one and only people they were to be.” quote by Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/eric-hoffer-343_ancient_it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only_1028444.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/eric-hoffer-343_ancient_it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only_1028444.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/eric-hoffer-343_ancient_it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only_1028444.jpg) > “It was the craving to be a one and only people which impelled the ancient Hebrews to invent a one and only God whose one and only people they were to be.” [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The desire for uniqueness drove the Hebrews to create a singular God, uniting them as a distinct people. **In simple terms:** Seeking uniqueness led to a unified deity. Key Takeaway Recognize how identity shapes belief. Themes identity religion collectivism Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - nationalism - religious movements - cultural formation - group cohesion Key Concepts mythology social psychology Questions to Reflect On - Why do groups create exclusive identities? - How does uniqueness become a collective myth? A Different Perspective Uniform belief can suppress individual diversity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ancient](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) [Ancient Hebrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient-hebrews-2335570/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Being positive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-positive/) [Craving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craving/) [Craving People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/craving-people-2335571/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [Hebrew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hebrew/) [Hebrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hebrews/) [Hebrews Invent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hebrews-invent-2335569/) [Invent God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/invent-god-735458/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) ## Related quotes > [“Something new seemed to be accomplishing itself within him, and one of the things that went with it was a kind of craving for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/something-new-seemed-to-be-accomplishing-itself-within-him-and-one-of/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [I feel like everyone is really craving people to come out. People want - they need - to see that there are people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-rapinoe/i-feel-like-everyone-is-really-craving-people-to-come-out-people-want/) [Megan Rapinoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-rapinoe/) > [A defining reality for me is what Scripture teaches in Hebrews 12, that God is our father, and that a sign that he loves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-harris/a-defining-reality-for-me-is-what-scripture-teaches-in-hebrews-12/) [Joshua Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-harris/) > [Did Ethan Smith's View of the Hebrews furnish structural material for Joseph Smith's Book of Mormon? It has been pointed out in these pages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-roberts/did-ethan-smith-s-view-of-the-hebrews-furnish-structural-material-for/) [B. H. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-roberts/) > [It's not as if the New Testament writers came along and said, "The culmination of Old Testament books is more books, New Testament books."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/it-s-not-as-if-the-new-testament-writers-came-along-and-said-the/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The God of the Hebrews is a God that human language, we're not even supposed to speak the holy name. We were told in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/the-god-of-the-hebrews-is-a-god-that-human-language-we-re-not-even/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [“For the Hebrews, names provided a direct link with the Creator. They understood words as being the creative fire of God, the ‘black fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hamilton/for-the-hebrews-names-provided-a-direct-link-with-the-creator-they/) [Anne Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hamilton/) > [Hebrews . This book is much superior to most of the writings attributed to St. Paul, though passages in the other books are very admirable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/hebrews-this-book-is-much-superior-to-most-of-the-writings-attributed/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [The fact that the biblical book Hebrews is not an epistle of St Paul, or of any other apostle, is proved by what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-fact-that-the-biblical-book-hebrews-is-not-an-epistle-of-st-paul/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Hebrews 3:19 tells us why the children of Israel did not enter into the promised land. Their problem was the same thing that keeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-williams/hebrews-3-19-tells-us-why-the-children-of-israel-did-not-enter-into/) [Brian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-williams/) > [The Hebrews have done more to civilize men than any other nation: The doctrine of a supreme, intelligent sovereign of the universe, I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/the-hebrews-have-done-more-to-civilize-men-than-any-other-nation-the/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [The Hebrews took for their idol, not something made of metal or wood, but a race, a nation, something just as earthly. Their religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-weil/the-hebrews-took-for-their-idol-not-something-made-of-metal-or-wood/) [Simone Weil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-weil/) > [Had the Hebrews not been disturbed in their progress a thousand and more years ago, they would have solved all the great problems of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-mayer-wise/had-the-hebrews-not-been-disturbed-in-their-progress-a-thousand-and/) [Isaac Mayer Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-mayer-wise/) > [I will insist that the Hebrews have done more to civilize man than any other nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/i-will-insist-that-the-hebrews-have-done-more-to-civilize-man-than/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [I always had, you know, in the book of Hebrews, I think it's chapter 11, verse 1, where it says, "Now faith is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-judd/i-always-had-you-know-in-the-book-of-hebrews-i-think-it-s-chapter-11/) [Naomi Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-judd/) ## More by Eric Hoffer > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“We lie the loudest when we lie to ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/we-lie-the-loudest-when-we-lie-to-ourselves/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Our originality shows itself most strikingly not in what we wholly originate but in what we do with that which we borrow from others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/our-originality-shows-itself-most-strikingly-not-in-what-we-wholly/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The creative mind is the playful mind. Philosophy is the play and dance of ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-creative-mind-is-the-playful-mind-philosophy-is-the-play-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [It is also plausible that those movements with the greatest inner contradiction and between profession and practice - that is to say with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-is-also-plausible-that-those-movements-with-the-greatest-inner/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The best part of the art of living is to know how to grow old gracefully.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-best-part-of-the-art-of-living-is-to-know-how-to-grow-old/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [“In the alchemy of man's soul almost all noble attributes--courage, honor, love, hope, faith, duty, loyalty, etc.--can be transmuted into ruthlessness. Compassion alone stands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/in-the-alchemy-of-man-s-soul-almost-all-noble-attributes-courage/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [The act of self-denial seems to confer on us the right to be harsh and merciless toward others. The impression somehow prevails that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-act-of-self-denial-seems-to-confer-on-us-the-right-to-be-harsh/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A nation without dregs and malcontents, is orderly, decent, peaceful and pleasant, but perhaps without the seed of things to come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-nation-without-dregs-and-malcontents-is-orderly-decent-peaceful-and/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/compassion-alone-stands-apart-from-the-continuous-traffic-between/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [There are many who find a good alibi far more attractive than an achievement. For an achievement does not settle anything permanently. We still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/there-are-many-who-find-a-good-alibi-far-more-attractive-than-an/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [A war is not won if the defeated enemy has not been turned into a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/a-war-is-not-won-if-the-defeated-enemy-has-not-been-turned-into-a/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Man is the only creature that strives to surpass himself, and yearns for the impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/man-is-the-only-creature-that-strives-to-surpass-himself-and-yearns/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [This food-and-shelter theory concerning man's efforts is without insight. The desire for praise is more imperative than the desire for food and shelter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/this-food-and-shelter-theory-concerning-man-s-efforts-is-without/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) [Explore all 658 Eric Hoffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) ## More Ancient quotes > [“We ought to know the history of our ancient ancestors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-ought-to-know-the-history-of-our-ancient-ancestors/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Ancient eyes had stared at me, filled with ancient grief. And something more. Something so alien and unexpected that I'd almost burst into tears.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/ancient-eyes-had-stared-at-me-filled-with-ancient-grief-and-something/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“Whenever I think about ancient cultures nostalgia seizes me. Perhaps this is nothing but envy of the sweet slowness of the history of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/whenever-i-think-about-ancient-cultures-nostalgia-seizes-me-perhaps/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [I don't know if I've come of age, but I'm certainly older now. I feel shrunken, as if there's a tiny ancient Oliver Tate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-dunthorne/i-don-t-know-if-i-ve-come-of-age-but-i-m-certainly-older-now-i-feel/) [Joe Dunthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-dunthorne/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) > [Men must speak English who can write Sanskrit; they must speak a modern language who write, perchance, an ancient and universal one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-must-speak-english-who-can-write-sanskrit-they-must-speak-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The Tao is the center of the universe, the good man's treasure, the bad man's refuge. Honors can be bought with fine words, respect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/the-tao-is-the-center-of-the-universe-the-good-man-s-treasure-the-bad/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road traveled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past. And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Ancient societies had anthropomorphic gods: a huge pantheon expanding into centuries of dynastic drama; fathers and sons, martyred heroes, star-crossed lovers, the deaths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hiddleston/ancient-societies-had-anthropomorphic-gods-a-huge-pantheon-expanding/) [Tom Hiddleston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hiddleston/) > [My life shall be free and broad and great, and I will not be the slave to the sense delights which chained my ancient…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/my-life-shall-be-free-and-broad-and-great-and-i-will-not-be-the-slave/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [Those of us with this ancient compulsion to tell stories sometimes start with a single kernel of something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/those-of-us-with-this-ancient-compulsion-to-tell-stories-sometimes/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [All the stories I have told you are finally as useless as all ancient knowledge is to man and to us. Its images and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/all-the-stories-i-have-told-you-are-finally-as-useless-as-all-ancient/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [Science has revealed a universe that is vast, ancient, violent, strange, and beautiful, a universe of almost infinite variety and possibility one in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-mlodinow/science-has-revealed-a-universe-that-is-vast-ancient-violent-strange/) [Leonard Mlodinow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-mlodinow/) [Browse all 2,415 Ancient quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancient/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It was the craving to be a one and only people which impelled the ancient Hebrews to invent a one and only God whose one and only people they were to be.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Hoffer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only-people-which-impelled-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ancient" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only-people-which-impelled-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/eric-hoffer-343_ancient_it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only_1028444.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/eric-hoffer-343_ancient_it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only_1028444.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e26/eric-hoffer-343_ancient_it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only_1028444.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It was the craving to be a one and only people which impelled the ancient Hebrews to invent a one and only…” — Eric Hoffer", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eric Hoffer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It was the craving to be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only-people-which-impelled-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/it-was-the-craving-to-be-a-one-and-only-people-which-impelled-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```