Lexical Definition
Ἰσραήλ Israḗl (is-rah-ale') Israel N:N--L
of Hebrew origin (יִשְׂרָאֵל)
Israel.
- Israel (i.e. Jisrael), the adopted name of Jacob, including his descendants (literally or figuratively)
Abbott-Smith
Ἰσραήλ (FlJ, Ἰσράηλος, -ου), ὁ, indecl. (Heb. יִשְׂרָאֵל, Ge 32:28),
Israel: ὁ οἶκος Ἰ., Ac 7:42(LXX), al.; λαός, Ac 4:10; υἱοί, Ac 5:21, al.; αἱ φυλαὶ τοῦ Ἰ., Mt 19:28, al. By meton., for the Israelites, Mt 2:6, Lk 1:54, Ro 11:2, al.; ὁ λαὸς Ἰ., Ac 4:10; γῆ Ἰ., Mt 2:20, 21; βασιλεὺς Ἰ., Mt 27:42, Jo 1:50; ἡ ἐλπὶς τοῦ Ἰ., Ac 28:20; ὁ Ἰ. τοῦ θεοῦ (of Christians), Ga 6:16; ὁ Ἰ. κατὰ σάρκα, I Co 10:18.
Abbott-Smith References
| Book | Refs |
|---|---|
| Genesis | 32:28 |
| Matthew | 2:6 · 2:20 · 2:21 · 19:28 · 27:42 |
| Luke | 1:54 |
| John | 1:50 |
| Acts | 4:10 · 5:21 · 7:42 · 28:20 |
| Romans | 11:2 |
| 1 Corinthians | 10:18 |
| Galatians | 6:16 |
Profile
Male • Son of Isaac • Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes
Man living at the time of the Patriarchs
Israel, also named Jacob, was the son of Isaac, the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, and a key patriarch of the Jewish people.
- A man living at the time of the Patriarchs, first mentioned at Gen.25.26;
- referred to as Israel or [ ] or Israelite or "God" (KJV= Israel) יִשְׂרָאֵל, or Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל, or Jacob or "he" (KJV= Jacob) יַעֲקֹב, or Jeshurun יְשֻׁרוּן, or Israelite יִשְׂרְאֵלִי, or Israelitess יִשְׂרְאֵלִית, or Israel or Israelite Ἰσραήλ, or Jacob Ἰακώβ, or Israelite or Israel Ἰσραηλίτης;
- son of Isaac יִצְחָק and Rebekah רִבְקָה;
- a brother of Esau עֵשָׂו;
- husband of Rachel רָחֵל, Leah לֵאָה, Zilpah זִלְפָּה and Bilhah בִּלְהָה;
- father of Reuben רְאוּבֵן, Simeon שִׁמְעוֹן, Levi לֵוִי, Judah יְהוּדָה, Dan דָּן, Naphtali נַפְתָּלִי, Gad גָּד, Asher אָשֵׁר, Issachar יִשָּׂשכָר, Zebulun זְבוּלוּן, Dinah דִּינָה, Joseph יוֹסֵף and Benjamin בִּנְיָמִין.
Israel, also known as Jacob, was the son of Isaac and Rebekah, and the grandson of Abraham. He was born after his twin brother Esau (Gen. 25:24-26).
Jacob bought Esau's birthright for a bowl of stew when Esau was famished (Gen. 25:29-34). He then deceived his father Isaac into giving him the firstborn blessing (Gen. 27). To escape Esau's anger, Jacob fled to his uncle Laban in Paddan-aram (Gen. 28:1-5).
On the way, Jacob had a dream of a stairway to heaven at Bethel, where God confirmed the covenant promises to him (Gen. 28:10-22). Jacob worked for Laban for 14 years, marrying his daughters Leah and Rachel (Gen. 29).
Wanting to return home, Jacob left Paddan-aram with his family and flocks. On the way, he wrestled with God at Peniel and was renamed Israel, meaning "he struggles with God" (Gen. 32:22-32). Israel (or 'Jacob') reconciled with Esau and settled in Canaan (Gen. 33).
Jacob had twelve sons who became the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad and Asher (Gen. 35:23-26).
Jacob showed favoritism to Joseph, provoking his brothers to sell Joseph into slavery in Egypt (Gen. 37). Later, during a famine, Jacob's sons went to Egypt for food and were reconciled with Joseph, who had risen to power there (Gen. 42-46).
Jacob moved his whole family to Egypt, where he lived for 17 years (Gen. 47:28). Before his death, Jacob blessed Joseph's sons Ephraim and Manasseh (Gen. 48) and gave prophetic blessings to his own twelve sons (Gen. 49). He died at age 147 and was buried in Canaan (Gen. 49:33; 50:1-14).
God often identified Himself as the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" and reaffirmed His covenant promises to Jacob's descendants (e.g. Exo. 3:6,15). The nation of Israel took its name from Jacob and the Jewish people are his descendants. The name Jeshurun is used as a poetic name for Israel (Deut. 32:15; 33:5,26; Isa. 44:2).
All entries for Israel or Jacob or Jeshurun: יִשְׂרָאֵל ☩ יִשְׂרָאֵל ☩ יַעֲקֹב ☩ יְשֻׁרוּן ☩ Ἰακώβ ☩ יִשְׂרְאֵלִי ☩ יִשְׂרְאֵלִית ☩ Ἰσραήλ ☩ Ἰσραηλίτης