Hebrew vs. Israelite vs. Jew

The People of God go by different names in the Old Testament. What is the origin and meaning of each of these names and what is the difference between them?

In some ways we can think if these three terms chronologically:

Hebrew
Origin = migrants, one who crosses the river
“Hebrews” is the pre-kingdom name for the Israelites
It also became the name for Old Testament language of God’s people.

Israelite
Origin = Tribes of Israel (Jacob)
After conquest of Canaan, the people became known by the ancestry as descendants of the Patriarch Jacob who was given the name Israel.

Jew
Origin = Tribe of Judah
After the split between Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom, the Southern Kingdom went by the name of Judah for the Tribe of Judah. Later the word Jew was used for short.

The Southern Kingdom centered in Jerusalem was composed mostly of Tribe of Judah, but also included tribes of Benjamin, Simeon, and some Levites.

Upon their return from the Babylonian Exile, the name Jew became the primary name for God’s people.

Today the term “Israeli” refers to people from the state of Israel and Jew is a term referring to both members of a religion and a nationality.

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