The Jews’ Place in God’s Plan (Pack of 5)
The Bible—especially the Old Testament—is a book that primarily focuses on the Jewish nation. The word Jew (Jews, Jewish) is found 68 times in Scripture, beginning in Ezra 4:23. Hebrew is found 47 times, beginning in Genesis 14:13. Children of Israel is used 603 times (beginning in Genesis 32:32); Israelite (s) is found 22 times. Seed of Abraham (your seed) is found fourteen times (cf. Exodus 32:13).
• Hebrew was first applied to Abraham’s family when they passed over Jordan from Ur and came to Canaan; it is thought to be from abar, meaning “to pass over.”
• Israelite comes from the name given Jacob by the angel at Peniel (Genesis 32:28). It means “having power with God.” It is the usual name given to the twelve tribes; after the split, it was applied to the northern ten tribes.
• Jew means a descendent from Judah, one of the sons of Jacob. After the division, it came to signify a member of the southern two tribes (Judah and Benjamin).