The various ways the titles Jew, Israelite, and Hebrew is thrown around today comes from not studying Old Testament history. God's Word is very specific about those titles, so knowing their difference and who they apply to is very important, that is if you want to better grasp who God gave His promises and prophecies to.
Here is what the Jewish historian Josephus (100 A.D.) said about the origin of the title Jew:
"You know, O Jews, that God hath kept our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in mind continually; and for the sake of their righteousness hath not left off the care of you. Indeed, he hath assisted me in gaining this authority of the king to raise up our wall, and finish what is wanting of the temple. (170) I desire you, therefore, who well know the will our neighboring nations bear to us, and that when once they are made sensible that we are in earnest about building, they will come upon us and contrive many ways of obstructing our works, (171) that you will, in the first place, put your trust in God, as in him that will assist us against their hatred, and to intermit building neither night nor day, but to use all diligence, and to hasten on the work, now we have this especial opportunity for it." (172) When he had said this, he gave order that the rulers should measure the wall, and part the work of it among the people, according to their villages and cities, as everyone's ability should require. And when he had added this promise, that he himself, with his servants, would assist them, he dissolved the assembly. (173) So the Jews prepared for the work: that is the name they are called by from the day that they came up from Babylon, which is taken from the tribe of Judah, which came first to these places, and thence both they and the country gained that appellation." The Antiquities of The Jews, The Works of Josephus translated by William Whiston (1667-1752), (Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, MA,1987), Book 11/ Chapter 5, p.297.
That was about a time after the 70 years Babylon captivity of the house of Judah, with a small remnant of that house returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the 2nd temple and Jerusalem. They had been in captivity to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had conquered and destroyed Jerusalem. That was the days of the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel who were in that Babylon captivity, and Jeremiah who had been taken into Egypt instead. That returning remnant is detailed in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, post-Babylon captivity Books. The great majority of the house of Judah stayed in Babylon by choice. God has blessed them while captive as He had promised. Then later, that great majority of the house of Judah in Babylon were further scattered through the countries, and have taken that title of Jew from the tribe of Judah.
That title of Jew became a name for only ONE branch of Israelites, specifically named the "house of Judah" in God's Word. Understanding this distinction may not seem important, but it is very important, otherwise you won't understand which prophecies in God's Word are to whom, but will wrongly think all prophecy about Israel is to ALL Israel, when it is not.
I King 11:26-37
26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
Jeroboam was of the tribe of Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph (Gen.48). That's how Solomon would put Jeroboam as head over the "house of Joseph". That's a pointer to the northern peoples of Israel, north of Judea-Jerusalem where Solomon of the house of David dwelt as king. God began a division in Israel with this Jeroboam because of how Solomon had taken many wives of the nations and allowed them to bring in their various pagan idols of worship into Israel. Thus God split Israel in two because of Solomon falling away.
29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
God's prophet Ahijah grabbed Jeroboam's new coat and tore it into ten pieces. You think that got Jeroboam's attention?
31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
Ahijah then repeats what God told him to tell Jeroboam, that He will rend (break) the kingdom of Israel out of Solomon's hand, and given Jeroboam ten tribes. This was a brand new event in Israel's history.
32 (But he shall have one tribe for My servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
But concerning Jerusalem, God said He would still give Solomon one tribe, for David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city where God has chosen. That one tribe was Judah, which the kings of the house of David were to come from.
33 Because that they have forsaken Me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways, to do that which is right in Mine eyes, and to keep My statutes and My judgments, as did David his father.
And here's the cause that made God do this division of Israel's tribes. Because of Solomon allowing the pagan idolatry of the nations to creep into Israel, when it was his job to be defender of Israel's Faith, as his father David did. This is still the job of Christian monarchs to be defenders of The Faith under Christ Jesus.
34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David My servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept My commandments and My statutes:
35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.
Because of David's obedience, God promised He would not rend the whole kingdom of Israel out of Solomon's hand, but that Solomon's son Rehoboam would remain with one tribe (see next verse), but Jeroboam of the house of Joseph surely would receive ten tribes out of Israel and reign over them separately.
36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David My servant may have a light alway before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen Me to put my name there.
God repeats that Solomon's son (Rehoboam) would keep one tribe, for David's and Jerusalem's sake. This is why God has always preserved at least a small remnant of Judah (Jews) in Jerusalem throughout all generations, even today. Some were even left in Judea during Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Jerusalem and captivity of the majority of Judah to Babylon. And still through all generations thereafter, remnants of Judah have always been in Jerusalem to show God keeping this promise.
37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
(KJV)
With this last verse, God is speaking to Jeroboam of the house of Joseph still. Jeroboam (of Joseph) was given ten tribes of Israel, and was given to be king over Israel. Note God said, "king over Israel." How can one tribe still be at Jerusalem with Solomon and his son, while Jeroboam is to be "king over Israel" with ten tribes? That's to show how God here CHANGES who His title of the nation of Israel applied to at this point in history. Israel is God's Birthright blessing name linked to His Promise of Salvation first given through Abraham in Gen.14. It is the name God agreed to call the House of God giving it to Jacob in association with the pillar stone Beth-El (house of God).
Here is what the Jewish historian Josephus (100 A.D.) said about the origin of the title Jew:
"You know, O Jews, that God hath kept our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in mind continually; and for the sake of their righteousness hath not left off the care of you. Indeed, he hath assisted me in gaining this authority of the king to raise up our wall, and finish what is wanting of the temple. (170) I desire you, therefore, who well know the will our neighboring nations bear to us, and that when once they are made sensible that we are in earnest about building, they will come upon us and contrive many ways of obstructing our works, (171) that you will, in the first place, put your trust in God, as in him that will assist us against their hatred, and to intermit building neither night nor day, but to use all diligence, and to hasten on the work, now we have this especial opportunity for it." (172) When he had said this, he gave order that the rulers should measure the wall, and part the work of it among the people, according to their villages and cities, as everyone's ability should require. And when he had added this promise, that he himself, with his servants, would assist them, he dissolved the assembly. (173) So the Jews prepared for the work: that is the name they are called by from the day that they came up from Babylon, which is taken from the tribe of Judah, which came first to these places, and thence both they and the country gained that appellation." The Antiquities of The Jews, The Works of Josephus translated by William Whiston (1667-1752), (Hendrickson Publishers, Peabody, MA,1987), Book 11/ Chapter 5, p.297.
That was about a time after the 70 years Babylon captivity of the house of Judah, with a small remnant of that house returning to Jerusalem to rebuild the 2nd temple and Jerusalem. They had been in captivity to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had conquered and destroyed Jerusalem. That was the days of the prophets Daniel and Ezekiel who were in that Babylon captivity, and Jeremiah who had been taken into Egypt instead. That returning remnant is detailed in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, post-Babylon captivity Books. The great majority of the house of Judah stayed in Babylon by choice. God has blessed them while captive as He had promised. Then later, that great majority of the house of Judah in Babylon were further scattered through the countries, and have taken that title of Jew from the tribe of Judah.
That title of Jew became a name for only ONE branch of Israelites, specifically named the "house of Judah" in God's Word. Understanding this distinction may not seem important, but it is very important, otherwise you won't understand which prophecies in God's Word are to whom, but will wrongly think all prophecy about Israel is to ALL Israel, when it is not.
I King 11:26-37
26 And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king.
27 And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father.
28 And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valour: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph.
Jeroboam was of the tribe of Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph (Gen.48). That's how Solomon would put Jeroboam as head over the "house of Joseph". That's a pointer to the northern peoples of Israel, north of Judea-Jerusalem where Solomon of the house of David dwelt as king. God began a division in Israel with this Jeroboam because of how Solomon had taken many wives of the nations and allowed them to bring in their various pagan idols of worship into Israel. Thus God split Israel in two because of Solomon falling away.
29 And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field:
30 And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces:
God's prophet Ahijah grabbed Jeroboam's new coat and tore it into ten pieces. You think that got Jeroboam's attention?
31 And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee:
Ahijah then repeats what God told him to tell Jeroboam, that He will rend (break) the kingdom of Israel out of Solomon's hand, and given Jeroboam ten tribes. This was a brand new event in Israel's history.
32 (But he shall have one tribe for My servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:)
But concerning Jerusalem, God said He would still give Solomon one tribe, for David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city where God has chosen. That one tribe was Judah, which the kings of the house of David were to come from.
33 Because that they have forsaken Me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in My ways, to do that which is right in Mine eyes, and to keep My statutes and My judgments, as did David his father.
And here's the cause that made God do this division of Israel's tribes. Because of Solomon allowing the pagan idolatry of the nations to creep into Israel, when it was his job to be defender of Israel's Faith, as his father David did. This is still the job of Christian monarchs to be defenders of The Faith under Christ Jesus.
34 Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David My servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept My commandments and My statutes:
35 But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes.
Because of David's obedience, God promised He would not rend the whole kingdom of Israel out of Solomon's hand, but that Solomon's son Rehoboam would remain with one tribe (see next verse), but Jeroboam of the house of Joseph surely would receive ten tribes out of Israel and reign over them separately.
36 And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David My servant may have a light alway before Me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen Me to put my name there.
God repeats that Solomon's son (Rehoboam) would keep one tribe, for David's and Jerusalem's sake. This is why God has always preserved at least a small remnant of Judah (Jews) in Jerusalem throughout all generations, even today. Some were even left in Judea during Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of Jerusalem and captivity of the majority of Judah to Babylon. And still through all generations thereafter, remnants of Judah have always been in Jerusalem to show God keeping this promise.
37 And I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel.
(KJV)
With this last verse, God is speaking to Jeroboam of the house of Joseph still. Jeroboam (of Joseph) was given ten tribes of Israel, and was given to be king over Israel. Note God said, "king over Israel." How can one tribe still be at Jerusalem with Solomon and his son, while Jeroboam is to be "king over Israel" with ten tribes? That's to show how God here CHANGES who His title of the nation of Israel applied to at this point in history. Israel is God's Birthright blessing name linked to His Promise of Salvation first given through Abraham in Gen.14. It is the name God agreed to call the House of God giving it to Jacob in association with the pillar stone Beth-El (house of God).
