Origin Of The Word
“Jew”

"Strictly speaking, it is incorrect to call an ancient Israelite a "Jew" or to call a contemporary Jew an "Israelite" or a "Hebrew."  
The Jewish Almanac (1980)


Does the word “Jew” as it was translated into our King James Bible’s really mean the group of people we have come to know as “Jews” in this present day?

Let us take a few minutes together and look a little deeper.

The adjective Hebrew is spelled Εβραικος, Hebraikos, in Greek (Luke 23:38), and the noun Hebrew is Εβραιος, Hebraios, (Acts 6:1).

Hebrew is a title rather than a personal name. It was initially given to Abram in Genesis 14:13 but later came to denote the Israelites as in 1Samuel 4:6.

The word Hebrew comes from the verb אבר (abar) meaning to pass over or through: – region across on the opposite side. (especially of the Jordan; usually meaning the east) Cross over or Transition.
 
H5674
עבר
‛âbar   aw-bar'
A primitive root; to cross over; beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), pass (-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), remove, send over.


H5677
עבר
‛êber   ay'-ber
The same as H5676; Eber, the name of two patriarchs and four Israelites: - Eber, Heber.


H5676
עבר
‛êber   ay'-ber
From H5674 (above); properly a region across; but used only adverbially (with or without a preposition) on the opposite side (especially of the Jordan; usually meaning the east): -  X against, beyond, by, X from, over, passage, quarter, (other, this) side, straight
Brown-Driver-Briggs Definition: : Hebrew dictionary
1) region beyond or across, side
1a) region across or beyond
1b) side, opposite side

H5674
עבר
‛âbar   aw-bar'
A primitive root; to cross over; beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), pass (-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), remove, send over.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Definition: : Hebrew dictionary
1) to pass over or by or through, to pass over, cross, cross over, pass over, go over,
to pass beyond, emigrate, leave (one’s territory.)


The term “Hebrew” originated with Eber
·        great-grandson of Shem
·        Son of Noah

By the time of the New Testament , the terms “Hebrew,” “Israelite,” and “Jew” had become interchangeable.

The first time Eber was mentioned in scriptures is in Genesis 10:21-25:
 
Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born.

The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram.

And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash.

And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber.

And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan.
 
The first time the actual term “Hebrew” is used in scriptures is in Genesis 14:13:

And one who had escaped came and informed Abram the Hebrew, for he dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshkol and brother of Aner, and they had a covenant with Abram.

H5680
עברי
‛ibrı̂y   ib-ree'
Patronymic from H5677 (see above); an Eberite (that is, Hebrew) or descendant of Eber: - Hebrew (-ess, woman).

The word is from the Hebrew yehudhi, originally meaning:
A member of the Hebrew tribe of Judah
The ancient territory of which was organized as the Roman province of Judaea in AD 6.

In Genesis 29:35 Is when Yehudah(Judah in english) the son of Jacob and Leah was born:

And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
 
Brown-Driver-Briggs Definition: Hebrew dictionary
yehûdâh     Judah = “praised” 
1) the son of Jacob by Leah
2) the tribe descended from Judah the son of Jacob
3) the territory occupied by the tribe of Judah
4) the kingdom comprised of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin which occupied the southern part of Canaan after the nation split upon the death of Solomon
 
H3063
יהוּדה
yehûdâh   yeh-hoo-daw'
From H3034; celebrated; Jehudah (or Judah), the name of five Israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory: - Judah.

H3034
ידה
yâdâh   yaw-daw'
A primitive root; used only as denominative from H3027; literally to use (that is, hold out) the hand; physically to throw (a stone, an arrow) at or away; especially to revere or worship (with extended hands); intensively to bemoan (by wringing the hands): - cast (out), (make) confess (-ion), praise, shoot, (give) thank (-ful, -s, -sgiving). 
 

Knowing this we can no longer call all of the so-called “Jews” Yahudah, because there were 12 sons with different names making up the 12 tribes. These were all sons of Jacob.  Elohim later changed Jacobs name to Israel.
·        The sons of Jacob become the Children of      Israel(Jacob)
·        So the children of each tribe was named after whatever each son’s name was.
 
Did you know our Messiah is referred to as a "Jew" for the first time in the New Testament in the 18th century; in the revised 18th century English language editions of the 14th century first English translations of the New Testament?
 
The etymology of the word "Jew"
Jew (n.)
late 12c. (in plural, giwis), from Anglo-French iuw, Old French giu, from Latin Iudaeum (nominative Iudaeus), from Greek Ioudaios, from Aramaic jehudhai (Hebrew y'hudi) "Jew," from Y'hudah "Judah," literally "celebrated," name of Jacob's fourth son and of the tribe descended from him. Replaced Old English Iudeas "the Jews." Originally, "Hebrew of the kingdom of Judah."
 
Although "Jew" is a modern conception, its roots lie in the 3rd and 4th centuries AD. That is, the modern English word "Jew" is the 18th century contraction and corruption of the 4th century Latin "Iudaeus" found in St. Jerome's Vulgate Edition and derived from the Greek word "Ioudaios."

The evolution of this can be seen in the extant manuscripts from the 4th century to the 18th century, which illustrate not only the origin of the word "Jew" found in the Latin word "Iudaeus" but also its current use in the English language. 

Littered throughout these manuscripts are the many earlier English equivalents used by various chroniclers between the 4th and the 18th century.

So, from the Latin "Iudaeus" to the English "Jew" the evolution of these English forms are:

"Gyu," "Giu," "Iu," "Iuu," "Iuw," "Ieuu," "Ieuy," "Iwe," "Iow," "Iewe," "Ieue," "Iue," "Ive," "Iew," 

Similarly, the evolution of the English equivalents for "Jews" is:
 "Giwis," "Giws," "Gyues," "Gywes," "Giwes," "Geus," "Iuys," "Iows," "Iouis," "Iews,"

And then, finally, in the 18th century, "Jews."  
 
Two of the best known 18th century editions of the New Testament in English are the
·        Rheims (Douai) Edition
         King James Authorized Edition  
 
And they both contain the word "Jew." 
 
Yet, when the English language version of the Rheims (Douai) New Testament was first printed in 1582 the word "Jew" did NOT appear in it.

Similarly the King James Authorized translation of the New Testament into English (begun in 1604) and first published in 1611, here too the word "Jew" did NOT appear.  
 
The word "Jew" first appeared in both these well known editions in their 18th century revised versions.

The combination of the Protestant Reformation, the publication of the revised English language 18th century editions and the printing press (allowing unlimited quantities of the New Testament to be printed) meant the wide distribution of these English language Bibles throughout the English speaking world. That is, among people who had never possessed a copy of the New Testament in any language but who were now in possession of one in their native tongue. And, although these 18th century editions first introduced the word "Jew" to the English language, the word as it was used in these, has since continued in use in all the editions of the New Testaments in the English language.
 
Also, Numerous copies of these revised 18th century English editions were distributed to the clergy and the laity throughout the English speaking world ( especially the Rheims (Douai) and the King James translations of the New Testament). And so, the new readers of these 18th century editions were introduced to a new word both to them and the English language, the word "Jew."  
 
These readers did not know the history of the origin of the English word "Jew" and accepted it as the legitimate modern form of the ancient Greek "Ioudaios" and the Latin "Iudaeus." Thus, these new readers did not understand or care to question the meaning and use of the word since it was a new English word to them.

Consequently, the use of the word "Jew" was not only stabilised by these 18th century editions but also its anachronistic application (such as a word, an object, or an event that is mistakenly placed in a time where it does not belong in a story, movie, etc.) application to people and places fully established.

The original chroniclers used the Greek "Ioudaios" to denote people who lived in Judaea, English, for "Judaeans."

Thus: "Ioudaia" in Greek is, in English, "Judaea" ( or "Judea")
        "Ioudaios" in Greek is, in English, "Judaeans" (or "Judeans") 
 
So, when the word "Jew" was first introduced into the English language in the 18th century they intended its one and only application was to denote "Judaeans" (or "Judeans"). That is, they deemed them identical implications, inferences, and innuendoes and therefore interchangeable. They meant that it makes no difference which of these two words is used when referring to the inhabitants of Judaea during the time of Messiah's Mission.

However, these two words have radically changed and are now as different as night and day. Today, the word "Jew" is never regarded as a synonym for "Judaean" nor is "Judaean" regarded as a synonym for "Jew."  
 
 
The word has taken on a far different meaning; one wholly divorced from the original conception of the 18th century redactors.
 
This so-called "different meaning" for the word "Jew" has been assiduously cultivated during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries and bears no relation whatsoever to the 18th century original connotation of the word "Jew." 

It has been carefully nurtured among the English speaking peoples of the world and has succeeded to such a degree, that now most people in the English-speaking world can not comprehend the true nature of the word "Jew," in its literal sense, and does not regard a "Jew" as a "Judaean" which is the correct and only meaning of the word known to the 18th century redactors of the New Testament.
 
The word "Jew" in modern usage is a misrepresentation. The etymology of the word "Jew," first used in the revised 18th century English language editions of the New Testament, is uncomplicated:

The original Greek word "Ioudaios" was derived from the Aramaic "Jehudhai," which referred to Judaeans, the residents of the Babylonian province of Judaea, and not as a reference to members of the tribe of Judah. 

That is, 
the modern English word "Jew" is a transliteration of an abbreviation or slang word coined by Babylonian conquerors for the enslaved Judaeans without any due regard to the race or religion of the captives. 

This indiscriminate use of the word "Jew" to refer to the diverse mass of races and religions then resident in Judaea is the application of an incorrect, modern colloquial idiom without regard or recognition of the true and Biblical meaning of the original words.