(Nehemiah 7:61-65)
The word Hebrew comes from the Hebrew word Ivri (עברי). This word literally means “one who crosses over” or “one who passes through.” It is based on the root verb avar (ע־ב־ר), which means to cross over, to pass through, or to go beyond.
The very first time someone is called a Hebrew in the Bible is in Genesis 14:13. It says,
“Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew (Abram ha-Ivri).”
Here, Abram (later Abraham) is identified as a Hebrew, but this is not just an ethnic label; it tells us about his lifestyle and identity.
Abraham was a nomad, a wanderer, called by God to cross over from his homeland in Ur of the Chaldeans into the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-5). This was a literal crossing over from one land to another, but also a spiritual crossing over—a step of faith into God’s covenant promise.
The name Ivri reflects that journey and identity—people who are crossers, travelers, passers-through, especially those who live by faith and trust in God’s promises.
There is another layer to the word Ivri. Abraham’s ancestor Eber (Ever, עֵבֶר) is mentioned in Genesis 10:21 and 11:14-17. Eber’s name shares the same root as Ivri, meaning “one who crosses over.” Because of this, Hebrews are sometimes understood as “descendants of Eber,” linking the term to a specific genealogical family line in the Semitic peoples.
So, the word Hebrew carries both a literal and spiritual meaning:
- A people who literally crossed over land boundaries, and
- A family who spiritually crossed over into God’s covenant.
Now, the word Jew comes from a completely different origin. It comes from the name Judah (Yehudah, יהודה), the forth of Jacob’s twelve sons from Leah. Judah was the founder of the tribe of Judah, one of the twelve tribes of Israel (same person, different name: Genesis 32:28, Genesis 35:10: Jacob to Israel).
After King Solomon’s reign, the nation of Israel split into two kingdoms: the northern kingdom called Israel, and the southern kingdom called Judah. The people of the southern kingdom became known as Jews (Yehudim, plural). This word means “belonging to Judah” or “of the tribe or kingdom of Judah.”
The Hebrew term Yehudi (singular יהודי) was used to identify a person from this tribe or kingdom.
In the Greek of the New Testament, the word for Jew is Ἰουδαῖος (Ioudaios), carrying the same meaning: someone from Judah.
Over time, especially after the Babylonian exile in the 6th century BCE, the term Jew expanded to refer to all the descendants of Israel who followed the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, no matter their tribal origin.
So, to bring it all together:
- Hebrew (Ivri, עברי) means “one who crosses over.” It first described Abraham and his descendants, people who traveled by faith, crossing lands and boundaries into God’s promise. It also connects to the ancestor Eber (Ever), linking Hebrews to a specific genealogical root.
- Jew (Yehudi, יהודי) means “one belonging to Judah.” It originally identified people from the tribe and kingdom of Judah and later became the common term for God’s people after exile.
This distinction helps us understand biblical history and identity deeply. The Hebrews were the nomadic faith travelers; the Jews were the tribe and kingdom descendants who carried the covenant forward.
For a little light humor, imagine Abraham packing his bags, saying, “Time to cross over! Who’s got the map? Oh wait, God’s got it. Never mind, I’m good!” Faith that crosses borders, no GPS needed.
✝️
Here are some key Scriptures with original language transliterations and translations:
- Genesis 14:13: “Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew (Abram ha-Ivri, אַבְרָם הָעִבְרִי).”
- Ivri (עִבְרִי) = “one who crosses over.”
- Genesis 12:1: “Now the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.’”
- The call to avar (עָבַר), to cross over.
- Genesis 10:21: “To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber (Ever, עֵבֶר), the older brother of Japheth, children were born.”
- Ever = “one who crosses over.”
- Psalm 122:6: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you be secure.’” (many times in the Bible, Yehudim refers to those who love and belong to Judah.)
- John 4:9: “The Samaritan woman said to Him, ‘You are a Jew (Ioudaios, Ἰουδαῖος) and I am a Samaritan woman.’”
image done by perchance ai at my direction