Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion, counting back nearly 4,000 years.
Abraham was the first of the Hebrew patriarchs and a figure revered by the three great monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. According to Hebrew tradition, Abraham was promised to be the father of nations, but he took matters into his own hands rather than trust God. As a result, his first child was with his wife’s servant Hagar, at the request of his wife, Sarah, who was unable to have children. That child, Ishtar, became a patriarch of the Islamic religion.
Later, Sarah gave birth to the promised child, Isaac, who became a patriarch of the Jewish religion himself.
The next in line was Jacob who usurped his older twin brother by tricking him into trading his birthright. Jacob later became known as Israel, the father of the Israelites, or Jewish religion. Jacob had twelve sons who went on to head up the twelve tribes of Israel. Jacob experienced his name change after he wrestled with an angel of God.
These primary patriarchs are venerated in the Jewish tradition and are frequently referenced in prayers.
Historically, the patriarch has been regarded as the leader of the community. They have used their authority to consolidate power. The tribes were named after sons or grandsons of Jacob.
If you would like to know more about this ancient religion, check out https://www.history.com/topics/religion/judaism or https://www.jewfaq.org/origins.htm.