Israel

Israel - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

The name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because "as a prince he had power with God and prevailed." (See [301]JACOB.) This is the common name given to Jacob's descendants. The whole people of the twelve tribes are called "Israelites," the "children of Israel" (Josh. 3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the "house of Israel" (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).

This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3; John 1:47; Rom. 9:6; 11:26).

After the death of Saul the ten tribes arrogated to themselves this name, as if they were the whole nation (2 Sam. 2:9, 10, 17, 28; 3:10, 17; 19:40-43), and the kings of the ten tribes were called "kings of Israel," while the kings of the two tribes were called "kings of Judah."

After the Exile the name Israel was assumed as designating the entire nation.

Jacob - (Easton's Bible Dictionary)

One who follows on another's heels; supplanter, (Gen. 25:26; 27:36; Hos. 12:2-4), the second born of the twin sons of Isaac by Rebekah. He was born probably at Lahai-roi, when his father was fifty-nine and Abraham one hundred and fifty-nine years old. Like his father, he was of a quiet and gentle disposition, and when he grew up followed the life of a shepherd, while his brother Esau became an enterprising hunter. His dealing with Esau, however, showed much mean selfishness and cunning (Gen. 25:29-34).

When Isaac was about 160 years of age, Jacob and his mother conspired to deceive the aged patriarch (Gen. 27), with the view of procuring the transfer of the birthright to himself. The birthright secured to him who possessed it (1) superior rank in his family (Gen. 49:3); (2) a double portion of the paternal inheritance (Deut. 21:17); (3) the priestly office in the family (Num. 8:17-19); and (4) the promise of the Seed in which all nations of the earth were to be blessed (Gen. 22:18).

Soon after his acquisition of his father's blessing (Gen. 27), Jacob became conscious of his guilt; and afraid of the anger of Esau, at the suggestion of Rebekah Isaac sent him away to Haran, 400 miles or more, to find a wife among his cousins, the family of Laban, the Syrian (28). There he met with Rachel (29). Laban would not consent to give him his daughter in marriage till he had served seven years; but to Jacob these years "seemed but a few days, for the love he had to her." But when the seven years were expired, Laban craftily deceived Jacob, and gave him his daughter Leah. Other seven years of service had to be completed probably before he obtained the beloved Rachel. But "life-long sorrow, disgrace, and trials, in the retributive providence of God, followed as a consequence of this double union."

At the close of the fourteen years of service, Jacob desired to return to his parents, but at the entreaty of Laban he tarried yet six years with him, tending his flocks (31:41). He then set out with his family and property "to go to Isaac his father in the land of Canaan" (Gen. 31). Laban was angry when he heard that Jacob had set out on his journey, and pursued after him, overtaking him in seven days. The meeting was of a painful kind. After much recrimination and reproach directed against Jacob, Laban is at length pacified, and taking an affectionate farewell of his daughters, returns to his home in Padanaram. And now all connection of the Israelites with Mesopotamia is at an end.

Soon after parting with Laban he is met by a company of angels, as if to greet him on his return and welcome him back to the Land of Promise (32:1, 2). He called the name of the place Mahanaim, i.e., "the double camp," probably his own camp and that of the angels. The vision of angels was the counterpart of that he had formerly seen at Bethel, when, twenty years before, the weary, solitary traveller, on his way to Padan-aram, saw the angels of God ascending and descending on the ladder whose top reached to heaven (28:12).

He now hears with dismay of the approach of his brother Esau with a band of 400 men to meet him. In great agony of mind he prepares for the worst. He feels that he must now depend only on God, and he betakes himself to him in earnest prayer, and sends on before him a munificent present to Esau, "a present to my lord Esau from thy servant Jacob." Jacob's family were then transported across the Jabbok; but he himself remained behind, spending the night in communion with God. While thus engaged, there appeared one in the form of a man who wrestled with him. In this mysterious contest Jacob prevailed, and as a memorial of it his name was changed to Israel (wrestler with God); and the place where this occured he called Peniel, "for", said he, "I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved" (32:25-31).

After this anxious night, Jacob went on his way, halting, mysteriously weakened by the conflict, but strong in the assurance of the divine favour. Esau came forth and met him; but his spirit of revenge was appeased, and the brothers met as friends, and during the remainder of their lives they maintained friendly relations. After a brief sojourn at Succoth, Jacob moved forward and pitched his tent near Shechem (q.v.), 33:18; but at length, under divine directions, he moved to Bethel, where he made an altar unto God (35:6, 7), and where God appeared to him and renewed the Abrahamic covenant. While journeying from Bethel to Ephrath (the Canaanitish name of Bethlehem), Rachel died in giving birth to her second son Benjamin (35:16-20), fifteen or sixteen years after the birth of Joseph. He then reached the old family residence at Mamre, to wait on the dying bed of his father Isaac. The complete reconciliation between Esau and Jacob was shown by their uniting in the burial of the patriarch (35:27-29).

Jacob was soon after this deeply grieved by the loss of his beloved son Joseph through the jealousy of his brothers (37:33). Then follows the story of the famine, and the successive goings down into Egypt to buy corn (42), which led to the discovery of the long-lost Joseph, and the patriarch's going down with all his household, numbering about seventy souls (Ex. 1:5; Deut. 10:22; Acts 7:14), to sojourn in the land of Goshen. Here Jacob, "after being strangely tossed about on a very rough ocean, found at last a tranquil harbour, where all the best affections of his nature were gently exercised and largely unfolded" (Gen. 48). At length the end of his checkered course draws nigh, and he summons his sons to his bedside that he may bless them. Among his last words he repeats the story of Rachel's death, although forty years had passed away since that event took place, as tenderly as if it had happened only yesterday; and when "he had made an end of charging his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost" (49:33). His body was embalmed and carried with great pomp into the land of Canaan, and buried beside his wife Leah in the cave of Machpelah, according to his dying charge. There, probably, his embalmed body remains to this day (50:1-13). (See [305]HEBRON.)

The history of Jacob is referred to by the prophets Hosea (12:3, 4, 12) and Malachi (1:2). In Micah 1:5 the name is a poetic synonym for Israel, the kingdom of the ten tribes. There are, besides the mention of his name along with those of the other patriarchs, distinct references to events of his life in Paul's epistles (Rom. 9:11-13; Heb. 12:16; 11:21). See references to his vision at Bethel and his possession of land at Shechem in John 1:51; 4:5, 12; also to the famine which was the occasion of his going down into Egypt in Acts 7:12 (See [306]LUZ; [307]BETHEL.)

iz'-ra-el.

See JACOB.

1. The name given, (Genesis 32:28) to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel, (Hosea 12:4) at Peniel. Gesenius interprets Israel "soldier of God."
2. It became the national name of the twelve tribes collectively. They are so called in (Exodus 3:16) and afterward.
3. It is used in a narrower sense, excluding Judah, in (1 Samuel 11:8; 2 Samuel 20:1; 1 Kings 12:16) Thenceforth it was assumed and accepted as the name of the northern kingdom.
4. After the Babylonian captivity, the returned exiles resumed the name Israel as the designation of their nation. The name Israel is also used to denote lay-men, as distinguished from priests, Levites and other ministers. (Ezra 6:16; 9:1; 10:25; Nehemiah 11:3) etc.

Definition

The term “Israel” is the name that God gave to Jacob. Often it refers to the nation that is descended from him.

• The name Israel probably means “He struggles with God.”
• The descendants of Jacob became known as the “sons of Israel” or the “people of Israel” or the “nation of Israel” or the “Israelites.”
• God formed his covenant with the people of Israel. They were his chosen people.
• The nation of Israel consisted of twelve tribes.
• Soon after King Solomon died, Israel was divided into two kingdoms: the southern kingdom, called “Judah,” and the northern kingdom, called “Israel.”
• Often the term “Israel” can be translated as “the people of Israel” or “the nation of Israel,” depending on the context.

(See also: Jacob, kingdom of Israel, Judah, nation, twelve tribes of Israel)

Bible References

• 1 Chronicles 10:1
• 1 Kings 8:2
• Acts 2:36
• Acts 7:24
• Acts 13:23
• John 1:49-51
• Luke 24:21
• Mark 12:29
• Matthew 2:6
• Matthew 27:9
• Philippians 3:4-5

Examples from the Bible stories

• __8:15 The descendants of the twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel__.
• __9:3 The Egyptians forced the Israelites__ to build many buildings and even whole cities.
• __9:5 A certain Israelite__ woman gave birth to a baby boy.
• __10:1 They said, “This is what the God of Israel__ says, ‘Let my people go!’”
• __14:12 But despite all this, the people of Israel __ complained and grumbled against God and against Moses.
• __15:9 God fought for Israel__ that day. He caused the Amorites to be confused and he sent large hailstones that killed many of the Amorites.
• __15:12 After this battle, God gave each tribe of Israel its own section of the Promised Land. Then God gave Israel__ peace along all its borders.
• __16:16 So God punished Israel __ again for worshiping idols.
• __43:6 “Men of Israel__, Jesus was a man who did many mighty signs and wonders by the power of God, as you have seen and already know.”

Word Data

• Strong’s: H3478, H3479, H3481, H3482, G09350, G24740, G24750

Definition

Jacob was the younger twin son of Isaac by Rebekah. God changed his name to “Israel.” His descendants became the nation of Israel.

• Jacob is the last of the three patriarchs of the Israelite nation: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The descendants of Jacob’s twelve sons became the twelve tribes of Israel.
• The name Jacob is similar to the Hebrew word meaning “heel.” As Jacob was being born, he was holding onto the heel of his twin brother Esau. In the Old Testament times, the heel was a body part associated both with attack and with the rear part of a person’s body. The Hebrew name Jacob was probably associated with the idea of attacking someone from behind.
• Many years later, God changed Jacob’s name to “Israel,” which probably means “He struggles with God.”
• The name Jacob is often used to represent the nation of Israel.
• Jacob married Laban’s two daughters, Leah and Rachel, as well as each of their servants, Zilpah and Bilhah. These four women mothered the twelve sons who became the ancestral fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.
• In the New Testament, a different man named Jacob is listed as being Joseph’s father in Matthew’s genealogy.

(Translation suggestions: How to Translate Names)

(See also: Israel, twelve tribes of Israel, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, Bilhah, deceive, Esau, Isaac, Rebekah, Laban)

Bible References

• Acts 7:11
• Acts 7:46
• Genesis 25:26
• Genesis 29:1-3
• Genesis 32:1-2
• John 4:4-5
• Matthew 8:11-13
• Matthew 22:32

Examples from the Bible stories

• __7:1 As the boys grew up, Rebekah loved Jacob, but Isaac loved Esau. Jacob__ loved to stay at home, but Esau loved to hunt.
• __7:7 Jacob__ lived there for many years, and during that time he married and had twelve sons and a daughter. God made him very wealthy.
• __7:8 After twenty years away from his home in Canaan, Jacob__ returned there with his family, his servants, and all his herds of animals.
• __7:10 The covenant promises God had promised to Abraham and then to Isaac now passed on to Jacob__.
• __8:1 Many years later, when Jacob__ was an old man, he sent his favorite son, Joseph, to check on his brothers who were taking care of the herds.

Word Data

• Strong’s: H3290, G23840