WHO IS

HEBREW, ISRAELITE, OR JEW?

Introduction

1.     Many use all three terms as if they all mean the same thing.

2.     This study will look at the origin of each of these terms.

3.     Then we will notice who is included and who is not included in each of these terms.

HEBREW – ORIGIN

2391 BC - 1927 BC --- Eber - (Heber) --- The great grandson of Shem --- was born when Salah was 30 years of age (Gen 11:14) and dies at 464 years of age (Gen. 11:16-17).

2357 BC - 2118 BC --- Peleg - (Phalec) was born when Elber was 34 years of age (Gen. 11:16) and dies at 239 years of age (Gen. 11:18-19).

2327 BC - 2088 BC --- Reu - (Ragau) was born when Peleg was 30 years of age (Gen. 11:18) and dies at 239 years of age (Gen. 11:20-21)

2295 BC - 2065 BC --- Serug - (Saruch) was born when Reu was 32 years of age (Gen. 11:20) and dies at 230 years of age (Gen. 11:22-23).

2265 BC - 2117 BC --- Nahor - (Nachor) was born when Serug was 30 years of age (Gen. 11:22) and dies at 148 years of age (Gen. 11:24-25)

2236 BC - 2031 BC --- Terah - (Thara) was born when Nahor was 29 years of age (Gen. 11:24) and dies at 205 years of age in the land of Haran after leaving the Ur of the Chaldees with Abram, Sarai, and Lot to go into the land of Canaan.

A. Abram --- Wife was Sarai.

B. Nahor --- Wife was Milcah, the daughter of Haran.

C. Haran --- Died before his father Terah.

1. Lot --- Probably born sometime around 2100 B.C.

2. Lot’s sons – Moab (Moabites); Ben Ammi (Ammonites) (Gen. 19:37-38)

2166 BC – 1991 BC --- Abram - (Abraham) was born when Terah was 70 years of age (Gen. 11:26) and dies at age of 175 ( Gen. 25:7).

2080BC --- Ishmael was born of Abraham's handmaid, Hagar --- (Gen. 16:5).

2066 BC – 1886 BC --- Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old (Gen. 21:5) and dies at 180 (Gen. 35:21).

A. Esau (Edomites) ---

B. Jacob ---

          C. Abraham married Keturah after the death of Sarah (Gen. 25:1)

                    Had sons – Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, Shuah

                    Note esp. – Midian - Midianites

HEBREW – WHO IS INCLUDED?

1.     While the name came from Eber, most put Abraham as the Father of the Hebrew nation of people.

2.     The Hebrew people would include – Edomites, Ishamelites, Midianites, Moabites, Ammonites, and Israelites (Jacob)

3.     There are many tribes under the umbrella of HEBREW.

ISRAELITE – ORIGIN

2006 BC – 1859 BC --- Jacob - (Israel) was born when Isaac was 60 in 2006 (Gen. 25:26).

1876 BC --- Jacob - (Israel) --- Moved To Egypt --- during the reign of Sesostris/Senusert III, two years after the famine began in 1878 BC (Gen. 45:6).

Jacob - (Israel) was 130 years of age when he moved to Egypt (Gen. 47:9), and died at age 147 in 1859 BC, just 17 years after he moved to Egypt (Gen. 47:28).

Jacob - (Israel) Had Twelve Sons --- (The Twelve Tribes of Israel):

Genesis 35:23-26 – Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher

          12 tribes of Israel = Ephrim and Manessah – take out Joseph and Levi

ISRAELITE – WHO IS INCLUDED?

1.     All the descendents of Jacob (Israel) – 12 tribes plus Levi (tribe of priests)

2.     All Israelites are Hebrews (from Abraham)

3.     But, not all from Abraham are Israelites.

JEW – ORIGIN

1.     Joshua, the judges

2.     Kings – Saul, David, Solomon

3.     Kingdom divided

a.     10 northern tribes – all but Judah and Benjamin – Israel

b.     2 southern tribes – Judah and Benjamin – Judah (Jews)

JEW – WHO IS INCLUDED?

1.     The name comes from Judah

2.     Jew also included the tribe of Benjamin

3.     It also included those from other tribes who returned from captivity to become part of the re-built nation

4.     Paul was a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5)