Jews in Biblical History

Schaff's Bible Dictionary

Definitions in Biblical History
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What are Jews?
JEWS
The word first occurs in 2 Kgs 16:6, and denotes the Judaeans, or men of Judah, in contradistinction from the seceding ten tribes, who retained the name of Israel. The name Israelites was applied to the 12 tribes, or descendants of Jacob (Israel) as a body; but after the separation of the tribes, the above distinction obtained until the Babylonish captivity, which terminated the existence of the kingdom of Judah, and thenceforward, until the present day, the descendants of Jacob are called Jews, and constitute one of the two classes into which the whole human family is frequently divided - viz., Jews and Gentiles. "It is a more comprehensive term than Hebrew, for Hellenists (Grecians) might be Jews, nor is it quite synonymous with 'Israelites,' which term seems, sometimes at least, to express more decidedly covenant hopes and relationships. John 1:47; 2 Cor 11:22." - Ayre. See Hebrews.

Bibliography Information
Schaff, Philip, Dr. "Biblical Definition for 'jews' in Schaffs Bible Dictionary".
bible-history.com - Schaff's

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