Jew, a name formed from that of the patriarch Judah, and applied in its first use to one belonging to the tribe or country of Judah, or rather perhaps to a subject of the separate kingdom of Judah (2Ki 16:6; 2Ki 25:5). During the Captivity the term seems to have been extended to all the people of the Hebrew language and country, without distinction (Est 3:6; Est 3:9; Dan 3:8; Dan 3:12); and this loose application of the name was preserved after the restoration to Palestine, when it came to denote not only every descendant of Abraham in the largest possible sense, but even proselytes who had no blood-relation to the Hebrews (Act 2:5; comp. Act 2:10). See the articles Israel; Judah.
Jew. (a man of Judea). This name was properly applied to a member of the kingdom of Judah after the separation of the ten tribes. The term first makes its appearance just before the captivity of the ten tribes. 2Ki 16:6. After the return, the word received a larger application.
Partly from the predominance of the members of the old kingdom of Judah among those who returned to Palestine, partly from the identification of Judah with the religious ideas and hopes of the people, all the members of the new state were called Jews (Judeans) and the name was extended to the remnants of the race scattered throughout the nations. Under the name of "Judeans," the people of Israel were known to classical writers. (Tac. H. V.2, etc).
The force of the title "Jew" is seen particularly in the Gospel of St. John, who very rarely uses any other term to describe the opponents of our Lord. At an earlier stage of the progress of the faith, it was contrasted with Greek as implying an outward covenant with God, Rom 1:16; Rom 2:9-10; Col 3:11; etc., which was the correlative of Hellenist, see Hellenist, and marked a division of language subsisting within the entire body, and at the same time, less expressive than Israelite, which brought out with especial clearness, the privileges and hopes of the children of Jacob. 2Co 11:22; Joh 1:47.
At first one belonging to the kingdom of Judah, as distinguished from northern Israel (2Ki 16:6). After the captivity, all members of the one new state were "Jews," i.e. in God’s outward covenant, as contrasted with "Greeks" or Gentiles (Rom 1:16; Rom 2:9, margin). "Hebrew" on the other hand expressed their language and nationality, in contrast to "Hellenists," i.e. Greek speaking Jews. Again the term" Israelites" expresses the high theocratic privileges of descent from the patriarch who "as a prince had power with God" (2Co 11:22; Rom 9:4). John uses "Jews" of the faction hostile to the Lord Jesus.
By the time that he wrote the Jews had definitely rejected the gospel offered to them by the apostles at home and abroad (1Th 2:14-16); so they are no longer regarded as the covenant people, the kingdom of God having passed from them to the Gentiles (Act 13:45-46) The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple formally effected the transference, forever since the Jew professes a religion enjoining what God’s providence makes it impossible for him to fulfil, namely, the observance of the great feasts and the sacrificial system in the temple at Jerusalem. B. F. Westcott (Smith’s Bible Dictionary) notices the preparation for the last or gospel revelation by the disciplining of the Jews under
(1) the Persian supremacy (536-333 B.C.), in organization, order, and ritual;
(2) under the Greek (333-167 B.C.), in liberty and speculation;
(3) under the Asmonsean Maccabees, in independence and faith;
(4) under the Herods, in the separation between the temporal and the spiritual kingdom. JEWRY means Judea (Dan 5:13). "The Jews’ language" signifies both the Hebrew (2Ki 18:26) and the Aramaic Hebrew acquired in the captivity (Neh 13:24), "the language (lip) of Canaan" (Isa 19:18).
Jew. 2Ki 16:6. A name applied first to men of Judah. The most common title for Jews in the Old Testament is "Israel" or "Israelites," but in the New Testament "Jews" is most frequently used. The terms "Israel" and "Israelites" occur in Scriptures about 2460 times; "Jew" and "Jews" about 275 times, and "Hebrew" or "Hebrews" about 50 times. "Jew" is a broader title than Hebrews, as it may include Hellenists, Greek proselytes who became Jews, Act 6:1; Act 24:18, and less specific than Israelites. See Joh 1:47; 2Co 11:22.
Hebrew is probably from Eber, a Hebrew word meaning "to pass over," and the name of an ancestor of Abram, Gen 10:24; Gen 11:13. Abram is first called "the Hebrew" in Gen 14:13. The Egyptians, Gen 39:14; Gen 41:12, and the Philistines, 1Sa 4:6, knew the people by this title. But they sometimes use it of themselves, but only when foreigners are thought of. Gen 40:15; Exo 2:7. The favorite name was "Israelites," and after the captivity the title "Jews" came into vogue, but the title "Hebrews" was still used for the more strict Jews, who preferred the Hebrew language, in distinction from the Hellenists or Grecian Jews. The Hebrew people were descended directly from Abram, Gen 12:1, through Isaac and Jacob, and are frequently called the "seed of Abraham," Psa 105:6; Joh 8:37, or "children of Abraham," Gal 3:7, or "children of Israel," Exo 1:13. God, to carry out his purpose and preserve his church, called Abraham to leave his father’s house and his country, and separated him and his household from the rest of mankind; gave him special promises, made covenants with him, and constituted him the "Father of the Faithful" to the world. From that time, for two thousand years, the visible church of God was confined to the family of this man; and for fifteen centuries the history of this family is the only sacred history of the world. During fifty generations of the children of Adam the family of this man, or rather the descendants of a part of it, "elected according to the purpose of God," Rom 9:11, enjoyed exclusive privileges; to the Israelites alone "pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises, whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen." Rom 9:4-5. They were separated from the world by most stringent laws; and it was necessary during all that time for the rest of mankind, through the Jews, to learn the way to be saved. The darkness of death overshadowed all other lands. Thanks be to God 1 when the fullness of time was come, when salvation was completed by the life, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the reservoir of truth was thus filled, the gates were opened; and the command was given to the church to go forth and to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation to all nations and to preach the gospel to every creature. "The gospel preached unto Abraham," before the giving of the law: "In thee shall all nations be blessed" was the first proclamation "that God would justify the heathen through faith." Gal 3:8. Nothing can more conclusively show the hand of God in directing the history of the world, and in controlling the affairs of nations, than the prophecies and the facts connected with the history of Abraham and of his descendants. Two thousand years after the promise was made to him; in thy seed shall all the families and all the nations of the earth be blessed. Gen 12:3; Gen 18:18; Gen 22:18. It was fulfilled in the advent of the Son of God, born of the seed of Abraham. The fearful prophecies of God concerning the descendants of Abraham, Tittered before they entered the promised land, have been continually in progress of fulfillment to the letter. The Jews have not only undergone the horrors of the siege and the loss of their country, so graphically foretold and described in the 28th chapter of Deuteronomy; but they are at this day, living witnesses to the truth of God’s word. More than three thousand years ago, while on a conquering march, with visions of glory before them, they were warned of their future apostacy, and were told of the judgments that would fall upon them and upon their land. It was said to them, "Thou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb and a by-word among all nations, whither the Lord shall lead thee." Deu 28:37. "These curses shall be upon thee for a sign and for a wonder, and upon thy seed." Deu 28:45-46. "The Lord shall scatter thee among all people, from the one end of the earth even unto the other;... and among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest." Deu 28:64-65. This has been literally the sad lot of this wonderful people for the last eighteen hundred years. Besides these foretold judgments upon the Jews there are also in the word of God promises of blessings yet to be enjoyed by them. In some of these the world has an interest. While telling the Israelites of the woes that should come upon them, God added: "And yet, for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am the Lord their God." Lev 26:44. We are told "Blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." Rom 11:25. Paul tells us, "Through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles." Rom 11:11. And he informs us that the world is again to be indebted to the Jews; he says: "Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness?" Rom 11:11-12. The restoration and conversion of the Jews is thus connected with the great ingathering of all nations into the Church of Christ; and the time of this is at hand. The Jews by their talents and industry exert great influence among Christian nations. They have long been the great bankers of the world. The Rothschild family with its immense wealth has controlled the money market. The Jews have furnished great scholars and statesmen. Neander, the church historian, and Stahl, the jurist, were converted Jews; the great musicians, Mendelssohn, Meyerbeer, Spinoza, Edersheim and Lord Beaconsfield, were of Jewish extraction. They have distinguished themselves in all the occupations except agriculture and manufactures. They are divided into orthodox and liberal or reform Jews, who differ from each other as the Pharisees and Sadducees of old. The former prevail in Russia, Poland and the East; the latter in Germany and America. Many of the Jews today are deists, or rationalists. The number of Jews in the world is estimated at 9,000,000, of whom 50,000 live in New York city, where they accumulate great wealth. The last word of Christ and the apostles concerning this wonderful people—which, like the miming bush, are never consumed—is a word of promise and hope that their blindness will be removed, and that after the fulness of the Gentiles has come in "all Israel shall be saved." Rom 11:26. We are indebted to the Jews for our knowledge of God, and of the way of salvation. All of the Scriptures were written by Jews. Moses, the prophets, and the apostles were all Jews. Jesus Christ, our Lord, "was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;" and he says: "Salvation is of the Jews." Joh 4:22.
A man of Judah. The term does not occur until after the division of the kingdom. 2Ki 16:6; 2Ki 25:25. It is applied to any one belonging to the two tribes, and it may have been used respecting any of the ten tribes who remained in the land at the captivity or returned thither. The name is principally found in the O.T. in Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Jeremiah. In Esther the name is applied to all the Hebrews in Persia. In the N.T. the name occurs most frequently in the gospel of John, where it is applied to those of Jerusalem and Judaea in distinction from ’the people’ who may have been Galileans or visitors from a distance. John speaks of ’the Jews,’ ’the Jews’ passover,’ etc., as though he were not a Jew. They had rejected the Lord, and in spirit John was separate from them.
In the addresses to the seven churches we twice read of those who "say they are Jews, and are not." The name is there used of those claiming to be the people of God by descent, but not so morally, as in another place there are some "who say they are apostles, and are not." Rev 2:2; Rev 2:9; Rev 3:9. In a similar way the Jews prided themselves in being ’sons of Abraham,’ whereas, the Lord declared that they were not such morally. The name JEWESS occurs only in Act 16:1; Act 24:24.
(The Word):
Up to the seventeenth century this word was spelled in Middle English in various ways: "Gyu," "Giu," "Gyw," "Iu," "luu," "Iuw," "Ieu," "Ieuu," "Ieuz," "Iwe," "Iow," "Iewe," "Ieue," "lue" ("Ive"), "Iew," "Jew." All these forms were derived from the Old French "Giu," which was earlier written "Juieu," derived from the Latin accusative "Judæum" with the elision of the letter "d." The Latin form "Judæus" was derived from the Greek 'I
, corresponding to the Hebrew 
a gentilic adjective from the proper name "Judah," seemingly never applied to members of the tribe, however, but to members of the nationality inhabiting the south of Palestine (Jer. xliii. 9). It appears to have been afterward extended to apply to Israelites (II Kings xvi. 3) in the north. The English word is met with in the plural form as early as 1175, in the Lambert "Homilies"; in earlier English the form "Iudea," derived from the place-name "Iudea," is found in the Anglo-Saxon Gospels (John xviii. 35) of about the year 1000. Ormin, about 1200, uses the form "Judeow," derived from Old High German "Judeo," from which the modern German "Jude" is also derived.
In the Old Testament the term "Jew" appears to be applied to adherents of the worship of Yhwh as conducted at Jerusalem after the Exile: it is thus used in the late Book of Esther. In more modern usage the word is often applied to any person of the Hebrew race, apart from his religious creed. At one time during the emancipation era there was a tendency among Jews to avoid the application of the term to themselves; and from 1860 onward the words "Hebrew" and "Israelite" were employed to represent persons of Jewish faith and race, as in the titles "Alliance Israélite Universelle" and "United Hebrew Charities." At the present time the name "Jew" is being more commonly employed.
The word is sometimes used as an adjective, as in "Jew Bill," "Jew boy," etc.; frequently in special combinations, as in "Jew-baiting," corresponding to the German "Juden Hetze," and in "Jew bail," insufficient bail; but more often in the genitive, as "Jew's eye," a proverbial expression for something very valuable, used by Shakespeare ("Merchant of Venice," Act II., Scene V., line 43); "Jews' houses," remains of ancient smelting-furnaces in Cornwall; "Jews' tin," lumps of tin found in the "Jews' houses." The term occurs in very many names ofplants, as "Jews'-apple," the egg-plant (Solanum esculentum); "Jew-bush" (Pedilanthus tithymaloides); "Jews'-myrtle," butchers'-broom; "Jews' frankincense," a plant of the genus Styrax; "Jews'-mallow" (Corchorus olitorius), a plant of the linden family; "Jews'-thorn," the Christ's-thorn.
Of the several terms derived from the word "Jew" the only derivations in common use are "Jewess," "Jewish," and Jewry; but there are several curious more or less obsolete forms, as "Jewhead" (1300), "Jewhood" (Carlyle), "Jewishness," "Jewdom," "Jewism," and "Jewship," all used for the religious system of the Jews, as well as "Jewling," used by Purchas (1613) for a small or young Jew. As adverbs are used "Jewishly" and "Jewly" (Wyclif, 1382). In more modern English the adjectival and adverbial derivations are from the original Latin form—"Judaic," "Judaical" (rare), "Judaically," radically connected with the word "Judaism." The chief derivations, however, "Judaizer," "Judaist," and "Judaistic," with the verb "Judaize," and the noun "Judaization," refer rather to Jewish tendencies in the Christian Church than to any specifically Jewish characteristics.
Special classes of Jews have often specific names; thus, in the Caucasus, Bergjuden"; those in Maga, near Shemachi, "Biki." Those of Jamaica used to be called "Smouse Jews" (H. Adams, "History of the Jews," p. 459); those of northwest Africa are termed Daggatun and "Riff Jews"; while those who have nominally left Judaism have often special names, such as Maranos, "Chuetas," "Anusim," "Maimin," "Jedid al-Islam," and Crypto-Jews. Symbolic epithets for the Jews are: "Chosen People," "People of the Book" (supposed to be derived from Mohammed, who, however, used the term "Peoples of a Book" (or Scripture) as applying equally to Jews, Christians, and Sabeans), "Peculiar People" (comp. M. Ḳ. 16b), "Israel," "Jeshurun," "Keneset Yisrael," "Dove" (comp. D. Kohan, "Yonah," in "Ha-Asif," 1889, v.), "The Nation," "The Race," "The Lily" (comp. Cant. v. 13).
Slang names, given to the Jews by their opponents, also occur, as "Sheeny" in English, "Zit" in Russian, "Youtre" in French. Among Russian Jews a distinction is made between "Yehudi," a Jew of German origin, and "Yid," one of Russian or Lithuanian extraction.
Bibliography:
Jellinek, Jüdische Stamm, i. 10-19, ii. 97-98;
Allg. Zeit. Jud. ii. 241;
Jewish Voice, Feb. 23, 1900;
Murray's New English Dict.
JEW.—The name by which the descendants of Israel have been known for many centuries. It is corrupted from Judah. After the division of the kingdom in b.c. 937, the southern portion was called by the name of the powerful tribe of Judah, which composed most of its inhabitants. It was in this kingdom that the Deuteronomic reform occurred, which was the first step in the creation of an organized religion sharply differentiated from the other religions of the world. This religion, developed during the Exile, bore the name of the kingdom of Judah. All Israelites who maintained their identity were its adherents, hence the name ‘Jew’ has absorbed the name ‘Israel.’ For their history, see Israel (I. 21–30) and Dispersion. For their religion, see Israel (II. 5, 6).
On the special meaning of ‘the Jews’ in Jn. see p. 481b f.
George A. Barton.
same as Jehudi
A person whose mother was a Jew or who has converted to Judaism. According to the Reform movement, a person whose father is a Jew is also a Jew. Although the term is derived from the term "Judahite" (meaning a member of the tribe of Judah or a citizen of the kingdom of Judah), it has historically been applied to the patriarchs, the matriarchs and all of the descendants of Jacob and all converts to their faith. See Who Is a Jew?
The name ‘Jew’ was not used in Old Testament times before the division of the Israelite kingdom. After the death of King Solomon, the kingdom was split into two parts, the northern part being known as Israel and the southern part as Judah. People of the southern kingdom, though Israelites by blood (since they were descended from Jacob, or Israel) were called Judeans, to distinguish them from those of the northern kingdom. The name ‘Judean’ was later shortened to ‘Jew’ (Jer 34:9).
Both northern and southern kingdoms were eventually destroyed and the people taken captive to foreign lands. When the descendants of these captives were later allowed to return to the land of Israel, most of those who returned belonged to the former southern kingdom (the Judeans, or Jews).
By this time the name ‘Jew’ was in common use. It was freely applied to all those now living back in the ancient homeland, without having any specific reference to the tribe they originally came from. In other words, it was used in general as a name for all Israelites (Ezr 6:7; Neh 6:6; Est 3:6; Est 3:10; Jer 44:1; Dan 3:8). By the time of the New Testament, the names ‘Hebrew’, ‘Israelite’ and ‘Jew’ were used interchangeably (Mat 2:2; Joh 1:19; Act 2:5; Rom 1:16; Rom 2:28-29; Rom 11:1; 1Co 9:20; 2Co 11:22; Gal 2:14; Php 3:5; see also HEBREW; ISRAEL; JUDAH, TRIBE AND KINGDOM).
A Judean, or someone belonging to Judah. The English word originated in French.
Old Testament
The Hebrew word first appears in 2 Kings 16:6, meaning "citizens of Judah." It became popular in the period of Jeremiah before the exile in Babylon in the late sixth century BC (Jeremiah 32:12). This showed a growing sense of national identity among foreign nations. Jeremiah 34:9 uses "Jew" in a statement emphasizing that citizens had the right to freedom from slavery. Jeremiah 52:28 uses it when counting deported citizens.
Once the people were in exile, the term took on a religious meaning. The Jews differed from surrounding peoples because they believed in one true God. A separation between Jews and gentiles (or non-Jews) developed. In Daniel 3:8–12, some Jews are accused of improper Babylonian religious practices. Esther discusses Jewish identity and survival in a foreign land. Esther 8:17 speaks of gentiles becoming Jews through conversion.
After the exile, the religious meaning of “Jew” is expressed in Zechariah 8:23, which says that the gentiles would seek out Jews because God was with them. In Ezra 4:12, the term “Jews” is the term used for the returned exiles. Nehemiah also uses it this way (Nehemiah 1:2; 4:2). Nehemiah 13:24 emphasizes the importance of social separation for the Jews. It teaches that Jews should not marry foreigners because of their faith. Nehemiah expressed strong disapproval of such marriages.
New Testament
In the New Testament, “Jew” shares a similar meaning. The New Testament documents described certain Jewish customs to gentiles (Mark 7:3; John 5:1; 19:40). The New Testament distinguishes Jews from gentiles (Acts 11:19), Samaritans (John 4:9, 22), and converts (Acts 2:10). While Jewish Christians can be called “Jews” (Galatians 2:13), the religious distinctions between Jew and Christian are emphasized.
In Romans 2:17–29, Paul analyzes the term “Jew.” He emphasizes that the true meaning of the word lies in an inward attitude to God rather than in rituals. Paul was probably reflecting on his failings as a Jew before he converted to Christianity (compare Philemon 3:3–6). His mention of “praise” in Romans 2:29 is the most important part of the passage. It is a forceful play on words: in Hebrew, Judah means “praise” (Genesis 29:35; compare 49:8).
Paul views Christianity as the true heir of the faith of the Old Testament. Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 agree that being a Jew is more than a matter of birth and synagogue observance (attending Jewish religious services). These passages relate to claims about Jesus being God's chosen Messiah (compare Romans 9:3–5; 10:1–4). The New Testament shows the opposition of Jews to the Christian message. The gospel was offensive to the Jews (1 Corinthians 1:23). Paul had strong Jewish credentials (Acts 26:4–7) but still received bitter Jewish attacks (Acts 21:11; 23:12, 27). Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 label the Jews’ opposition as satanic: they were carrying out the work of God’s adversary, Satan.
The Gospel of John uses "Jew" about 70 times, compared to 5–6 times in other gospels. While some uses are neutral, John often uses "Jews" to mean religious authorities, especially in Jerusalem, who opposed Jesus (John 5:18; 9:18; 11:8; 18:36).
In John 9:22, the Jewish parents of the blind man fear “the Jews” investigating them. In John 18:14, “Jews” is used to refer to the chief priests and Pharisees. It's important to note that the author, who was Jewish, wasn't expressing hatred against all Jews. He condemned those who opposed Jesus, not the entire race or people. He gladly mentions Jews who believed in Jesus (John 8:31; 11:45: 12:11). Nathanael is featured as a model of a Christian Jew, a true Israelite “in whom there is no deceit” (John 1:47; compare 1:31; see Genesis 27:35; 32:28).
See also Diaspora of the Jews; Israel, History of; Judaism; Judaizers; Pharisees; Postexilic Period.
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