Israelite, Jew, Gentile

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Who is an Israelite?

An Israelite is a descendant of Jacob who belongs to any of the twelve tribes of Israel.

What does the word Jew mean?

Israel was divided into two nations after the death of Solomon:

Israel - The northern kingdom of Israel comprised the ten tribes of Israel except the tribe of Judah and Benjamin.

Judah - The southern kingdom of Judah comprised the tribe of Judah and Benjamin.

1 Kings 12:15–20

Assyria invaded the northern kingdom of Israel and the Israelites were carried into exile.

2 Kings 17:6

Babylon invaded Judah and the inhabitants were carried into exile.

2 Kings 25:11

The word Jew is derived from the word Judah. In Scriptures, it is used to refer to the inhabitants of Judah who returned from the seventy years of exile in Babylon.

The word Jew occurs in these verses in Scriptures:

Ezra 5:1

Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.

Esther 2:5

Now there was at the citadel in Susa a Jew whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite

Nehemiah 1:2

Hanani, one of my brothers, arrived with men from Judah. So I questioned them about the remnant of the Jews who had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

Zechariah 8:23

"Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."'"

Today, the word Jew is also used to refer to those who follow Judaism.

What does the word Gentile mean?

Anyone who is not an Israelite is a Gentile. Gentiles were a part of Israel from the day exodus began when a mixed multitude also went up with them.

Exodus 12

37

The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth with about 600,000 men on foot, besides women and children.

38

And a mixed multitude also went up with them

According to the Book of the Law of Yahweh that Moses gave the Israelites, both the foreigner and the native-born have the same law.

Leviticus 24:22

You are to have the same law for the foreigner and the native-born. I am the LORD your God.

Ezekiel 47

21

You are to divide this land among yourselves according to the tribes of Israel. 

22

You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the foreigners who dwell among you and who have children. You are to treat them as native-born Israelites; along with you, they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel.

23

In whatever tribe a foreigner dwells, you are to assign his inheritance there,” declares the Lord GOD.

Zechariah 8:22

And many peoples and strong nations will come to seek the LORD of Hosts in Jerusalem and to plead before the LORD.

Zechariah 2:11

On that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD, and they will become My people. I will dwell among you

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