What is the first reference in the Bible that calls the Israelites by the name "Jews"?

Question

To day we hear people calling the people of Israel by the name Jew. Is this done for convenience or is it an accurate title. I assumed that Jews were only referring to those in the tribe of Judah. In other words, all Jews are Israelites, but not all Israelites can be considered Jews. Is this accurate?

Answer 1

Yea that's just as gay as when you fill forms "Ethnicity: Hispanic" HISPANIC IS NOT A RACE! We have whites, blacks, mestizos, mulatos, ladinos but we're all considered "Hispanics"

Answer 2

The word, "Jew" is used in reference to Mordechai, in the Book of Esther. He was not from the tribe of Judah, but rather from the tribe of Benjamin. Therefore, in the Bible, the word Jew refers to anyone of the Jewish faith, regardless of their tribe.

Esther 2:5 Now in Shushan the palace there was a
certain Jew, whose name was Mordecai, the son of
Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite;

I am never surprised by the idiots who answer here on Y!A, who know absolutely nothing of the topic their are responding in.....

Answer 3

Well, since Assyria exiled the 10 tribes and they are lost, the only "Jews" today are from Judah. The term shows up in late writings of the Torah, like Mordechai the Jew in Esther, 2:1

Answer 4

the sons of jacob split into 2 kingdoms - the kingdom of Israel and the kingdom of Judah. The Kingdom of Israel was exiled and lost 9the "lost" 10 tribes) and he kingdom of Judah (the tribes of judah and much smaller Benjamin) remained. So all the current people descend from that kingdom and are called "jews" as derived from "those of the judean kingdom". I believe this is discussed in 2 kings. By the time of the book of Esther, called all the people "jews" is well established.

Answer 5

In the book of Esther the term Jew ("yehudi") is used. Technically, it should only apply to those of the tribe of Judah, or those who lived under their rules in Judea. But it took on a connation of anyone who believed in the Jewish G-d (as explained the talmud).

cheerio

Answer 6

The word Jew comes from the people of Judea. It's a misnomer to apply it to all the descendants of Jacob.

Answer 7

Jew comes from the Hebrew word, "Yehudi" and basically means that whoever is referred to by that name doesn't worship idols and accepts the "one true God." - whichever that might be.