Hebrew - Israelite - Jew

 

Before becoming Abraham, he was Abram from Ur “of the Chaldeans” (modern day Iraq.).

God instructed Abraham to go west to Canaan.

The word, “HEBREW” is used 36 times in the NET. It’s first use is in

 Genesis 14:13

A man who had escaped came and reported this to Abram the Hebrew. Now Abram was living near the great trees of Mamre the Amorite, a brother of Eshkol and Aner, all of whom were allied with Abram.

13 A fugitive[a] came and told Abram the Hebrew.[b] Now Abram was living by the oaks[c] of Mamre the Amorite, the brother[d] of Eshcol and Aner. (All these were allied by treaty[e] with Abram.)[f]

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Footnotes

1. Genesis 14:13 tn Heb “the fugitive.” The article carries a generic force or indicates that this fugitive is definite in the mind of the speaker.
2. Genesis 14:13 sn E. A. Speiser (Genesis[AB], 103) suggests that part of this chapter came from an outside source since it refers to Abram the Hebrew. That is not impossible, given that the narrator likely utilized traditions and genealogies that had been collected and transmitted over the years. The meaning of the word “Hebrew” has proved elusive. It may be related to the verb “to cross over,” perhaps meaning “immigrant.” Or it might be derived from the name of Abram’s ancestor Eber (see Gen 11:14-16).
3. Genesis 14:13 tn Or “terebinths.”
4. Genesis 14:13 tn Or “a brother”; or “a relative”; or perhaps “an ally.”
5. Genesis 14:13 tn Heb “possessors of a treaty with.” Since it is likely that the qualifying statement refers to all three (Mamre, Eshcol, and Aner) the words “all these” have been supplied in the translation to make this clear.
6. Genesis 14:13 tn This parenthetical disjunctive clause explains how Abram came to be living in their territory, but it also explains why they must go to war with Abram.

The term "Hebrew" comes from the Semitic root ʕ-b-r, meaning "to cross over" or "to come from the other side," and is traditionally linked to Abraham's journey across the Euphrates River. In the Hebrew Bible, Abraham is first called "the Hebrew" (Ivri). The name can also refer to Abraham's ancestor Eber or represent a moral and spiritual separation from other nations. An alternative theory suggests the term comes from the Akkadian name for the region "Beyond the River" (Eber Nari), which would make "Hebrew" an exonym referring to inhabitants of that area. 
 

Key aspects of the origin of "Hebrew"

Biblical Origin:
The first use of the word "Hebrew" (Hebrew: Ivri) in the Bible refers to Abraham. 
"To Cross Over":
The word is believed to be derived from the root ʕ-b-r, meaning "to cross over" or "to come from the other side". 
Geographical Context:
This "crossing over" is often interpreted as Abraham coming from Mesopotamia across the Euphrates River to Canaan. 
Abraham's Ancestor:
Another theory connects it to Eber, a significant figure in Abraham's lineage. 
Exonym Theory:
"Hebrew" may have been an external term, an "exonym," used by outsiders to describe people from "across the river" (the Euphrates). 
Akkadian and Aramaic:
The term could also stem from the Akkadian and Aramaic name for the region "Beyond the River" (Eber Nari), which was the western Babylonian province. 
Habiru Connection:
Some scholars link the term to the Habiru, a group of seminomadic people mentioned in ancient texts who migrated or were nomadic. 
A Slur and Self-Empowerment:
The term was sometimes used by non-Israelites, such as Egyptians and Philistines, as a derogatory term or racial slur, but it was also used by the Israelites as a term of self-identification. 

Abraham’s son was Isaac. 
Isaac’s son was Jacob. 
Jacob’s name was changed to Israel. 
Israel’s sons were the 12 tribes.    


His sons were, in order of their birth: 


Reuben
Simeon
Levi
Judah
Dan
Naphtali
Gad
Asher
Issachar
Zebulun
Joseph
and Benjamin. 


He also had a daughter named Dinah, born to his first wife Leah.






















The 12 Tribes became known as the 
kingdom of Israel when they conquered 
the land of Canaan and received their 
portions of land. 


After the death of the third King of Israel, Solomon, 
The Kingdom Divided into The House of Israel
In the north with 10 tribes and The House
Of Judah in the south with 2 tribes: Judah
and Benjamin. The word, “Jew” comes from
Judah. 

















A JEW is a subset group of The Kingdom of Israel. 
A JEW is from Judah. 
When The Kingdom of Israel divided with 10 tribes in the north called, “The House of Israel” and 2 tribes in south called, “The House of Judah,” those in and from the house of Judah were called JEWS!


Every JEW is an Israelite. 
But not every Israelite is a JEW!
Just like every Californian is a US citizen but not every U.S. citizen is a Californian. 








The word "Jew" originates from the Hebrew name Judah (Yĕhūḏāh). It was the name of one of the tribes of Israel, descended from the patriarch Judah, and eventually the name of the southern kingdom and its inhabitants, the Judeans. The term passed through Aramaic to Greek (Ioudaios) and Latin (Iudaeus), and then into Old French (giu) before becoming the English word "Jew". 
From Judah to Judea
1. 1. Jacob's Son Judah:

   The term first referred to the descendants of Judah, the fourth son of the patriarch Jacob. 
2. 2. The Kingdom of Judah:

   The kingdom of Judah, a southern kingdom of the ancient Israelite people, was named after this tribe. Its inhabitants were known as the Yehudim (or Judeans) in Hebrew and Aramaic. 
3. 3. The Babylonian Exile:

   During the Babylonian Exile, the people of Judah maintained their identity as Yehudim, which became a more general term for the Jewish people. 
Linguistic Evolution
• The Hebrew term Yĕhūḏī (meaning "of Judah" or "Judean") was borrowed into Greek as Ioudaios. 
• From Greek, it entered Latin as Iudaeus. 
• This Latin form evolved into the Old French giu, dropping the "d" sound. 
• Finally, through influences from other languages like German and French, the term entered the English language as "Jew".