Topical Bible: Israel: for the Itinerary, See

◄ Israel: for the Itinerary, See ►

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Introduction
Israel, a name of profound significance in the Bible, refers to both the patriarch Jacob, who was renamed Israel by God, and the nation that descended from him. The term encompasses the people, the land, and the spiritual heritage that plays a central role in biblical history and theology.

Etymology and Meaning
The name "Israel" is derived from the Hebrew "Yisra'el," meaning "God contends" or "He struggles with God." This name was given to Jacob after his wrestling with the angel of the Lord at Peniel (Genesis 32:28: "Then the man said, 'Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with men, and you have prevailed.'").

Patriarchal Origins
Israel's origins trace back to the patriarch Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham. Jacob fathered twelve sons, who became the progenitors of the twelve tribes of Israel. These tribes formed the foundation of the nation of Israel, each tribe named after one of Jacob's sons.

The Exodus and Conquest
The nation of Israel's formative event was the Exodus from Egypt, where they were enslaved for centuries. Under Moses' leadership, God delivered the Israelites, leading them through the Red Sea and into the wilderness. This journey is marked by the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai and the covenant relationship established between God and Israel (Exodus 19:5-6: "Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine. And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.").

Following the Exodus, Joshua led the Israelites in the conquest of Canaan, the Promised Land. This period is characterized by military campaigns and the allocation of land among the tribes (Joshua 1:6: "Be strong and courageous, for you shall give these people the inheritance of the land that I swore to their fathers I would give them.").

The United Monarchy
Israel reached its zenith under the united monarchy of Saul, David, and Solomon. King David established Jerusalem as the political and spiritual capital, and his son Solomon built the First Temple, centralizing worship in Jerusalem (1 Kings 6:1: "In the four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD.").

The Divided Kingdom and Exile
After Solomon's reign, the kingdom divided into the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah. This division led to a period of instability, idolatry, and eventual exile. The northern kingdom fell to Assyria in 722 BC, and the southern kingdom was conquered by Babylon in 586 BC, leading to the Babylonian Exile (2 Kings 17:6: "In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria.").

Return and Restoration
The return from exile began under Persian rule, with leaders like Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah playing key roles in the restoration of Jerusalem and the Temple. This period saw a renewed commitment to the Law and the reestablishment of Israel as a community centered on worship and obedience to God (Ezra 1:3: "Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem.").

Prophetic and Messianic Expectations
Throughout Israel's history, the prophets spoke of a future hope and restoration, often pointing to the coming of a Messiah who would establish an everlasting kingdom. This messianic expectation is a central theme in the prophetic literature and is fulfilled in the New Testament through Jesus Christ, who is recognized as the promised Messiah and King of Israel (Isaiah 9:6-7: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.").

For the Itinerary, See
For a detailed itinerary of Israel's journey from Egypt to the Promised Land, including significant locations and events, refer to the entries on the Exodus, Wilderness Wanderings, and Conquest of Canaan. These entries provide a comprehensive overview of the geographical and historical context of Israel's formative years.

Nave's Topical Index

Numbers 33:1
These are the journeys of the children of Israel, which went forth out of the land of Egypt with their armies under the hand of Moses and Aaron.
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Deuteronomy
... vv.6, 7 a fragment of an itinerary relating the ... book claims to be the valedictory
address of Moses to Israel. ... And this, as we shall see, is eminently true of ...
/.../mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/deuteronomy.htm

Christianity in Rome.
... The preaching, of Christ, the true King of Israel, would naturally ... See Friedl??nder,
II. ... from Rome southward are given in the Antonine Itinerary as follows ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 36 christianity in rome.htm

His Missionary Travels
... and a Saviour to give repentance unto Israel and the ... The towns mentioned in their
itinerary are the Pisidian ... he revisited all these places to see his dear ...
/.../stalker/the life of st paul/chapter vi his missionary travels.htm

Appendix
... Itinerary and Memoirs, 1760-1794, deposited in Yale College. ... [See FL Hawks.] Documentary
History of the Protestant Episcopal Church. ... Holly, Israel. ...
/.../greene/the development of religious liberty in connecticut/appendix.htm

Letter cviii. To Eustochium.
... my purpose to give you a complete itinerary of her ... flesh." [2788] She declared that
she could see the slaughtered ... that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/letter cviii to eustochium.htm

The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
... The order of the Itinerary does not favour this identification, and Alcobile is
probably ... The river flows, as far as the eye can see, between two ranges of rock ...
/.../chapter ithe first chaldaean empire.htm

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
... facts given in the two passages, we see it was ... effaced, and then reached Aribua;
this itinerary leads us to ... of Hamath and masters of half Israel, were powerful ...
/.../chapter ithe assyrian revival and.htm

The Reaction against Egypt
... As far as I can see for the present, it is the only solution which agrees with the
evidence on the principal monument which has made known her existence. ...
/.../chapter iithe reaction against egypt.htm

The Hebrews and the Philistines --Damascus
... up to the present time of these "children of Israel." Some of ... See the long account
in Numb, xiii., xiv., which terminates with the ... The itinerary given in ...
/.../chapter iiithe hebrews and the.htm

The Power of Assyria at Its Zenith; Esarhaddon and Assur-Bani-Pal
... by Herodotus which refers to the itinerary of the ... son of Taharqa himself, while others
see in him ... not prevented the subjugation of Damascus, Israel, Tyre, the ...
/.../chapter iithe power of assyria 2.htm