Who is the original Jews?

Answer 1

The ancestors of the Jews were the Hebrew people who are recorded in history as appearing in the Palestinian hinterland in the late thirteenth century BCE. They spoke a Canaanite dialect, followed customs similar to those of their Canaanite neighbours and their pottery and other artefacts were much the same as those of the Canaanite people. Historians say that the early Hebrews, the ancestors of the first Jews, were simply a group of Canaanites who founded the kingdoms of Israel and Judah.

Not all the descendants of the early Hebrews became Jews. The northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by Assyria in 722 BCE and its people dpeorted throughout the Assyrian Empire, where they absorbed the cultures and religions of their hosts, and gradually lost their separate ethnic identity. The southern Hebrew kingdom, Judah, was populated by Hebrew people and also absorbed a large number of refugees from the kingdom of Israel after its destruction. Scholars refer to the early inhabitants of Judah as 'Judahites', but by the time of the Babylonian Exile, they were known as Jews.

Like most religions, Judaism has absorbed many converts, not all of whom could claim Hebrew ancestry. During the second century BCE, Judah was in the ascendancy and its Maccabean rulers conquered the land from Idumea in the south, to Galilee in the north, and forcibly converted the inhabitants to Judaism. Even in modern times, many Christians have converted to Judaism, often for the purpose of marriage. Regardless of ancestry, all are now known as Jews.

Answer:

The Torah (specifically the book of Genesis) records the names and histories of the original Jews (also known as Hebrews; Israelites). These are Abraham, (his son) Isaac, (his son) Jacob; and their wives, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. We possess an unbroken chain of direct tradition, with names and dates, to these founders of the Israelite (Jewish) people. Recent DNA studies have vindicated the traditions of Jewish origin, have shown that Jews worldwide are inter-related, and have overturned theories that doubt this. Despite any influx of converts, the DNA studies have shown strong genetic connection between today's Jews and their Middle Eastern forefathers.

Answer 2

Answer

The original Jew was Abraham, the Jews' great-forefather.

Answer:The Torah (specifically the book of Genesis) records the names and histories of the first Jews (also known as Hebrews; Israelites). These are Abraham, (his son) Isaac, (his son) Jacob; and their wives, Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel and Leah. We possess an unbroken chain of direct tradition, with names and dates, to these founders of the Israelite (Jewish) people. Recent DNA studies have vindicated the traditions of Jewish origin, and have overturned theories of "from Africa" or "from Khazars."

Answer 3

Within Judaism, we don't have a concept of "true Jew". However, if you're asking who are the people who are the descendants of the ancient Jews, the answer are those people who belong to mainstream Judaism.

Answer 4

well all people are descended from adam and eve who had a son named seth. Then nine generations later there was noah who had a son named shem who was eight generations before abraham who was the first person considered a Jew.

Answer:Abraham and his descendants.

Answer 5

Hebrews, and later, Israelites and then Jews.

"Hebrews" (Ivrim) actually means descendants of Eber (Ever). Ever was an ancestor of Abraham (Genesis ch.10-11) and the earliest Hebrews were Abraham's uncles and cousins for several generations back.
In 1934-39, excavations were conducted at ancient Mari on the Euphrates River. They found that ancient towns were named after the ancestors of Abraham: The city of Nahor was found near the city of Harran which exists to this day. Equally clear signs of early Hebrew residence appear in the names of other towns nearby: Serug (Assyrian Sarugi), Terah (Til Turakhi, "Mound of Terah"), and Peleg (Paliga, on the Euphrates). All these names are found in Genesis ch.11.
Abraham himself was called a Hebrew (Genesis 14) because of his ancestors, not because he was the first one. That is the simple meaning of Genesis 14:13. Poetically, however, Abraham is called Ivri because the name also translates to "other side." Abraham was on "the other side" since he was the only monotheist (Midrash Rabbah 42:8) until his teachings spread.
However, "Hebrews" is often used to refer to Abraham's Israelite descendants. In this sense it can refer to the Jewish people.
"Israelites" refers to the people down to about the time of the destruction of the First Temple some 2500 years ago. "Jews" refers to the people from Second Temple times onward, because after the Assyrian conquest the remaining Israelites were (and are) mostly from the Israelite tribe of Judah.
In 2000, the analysis of a report by Nicholas Wade "provided genetic witness that Jewish communities have, to a remarkable extent, retained their biological identity separate from their host populations, showing relatively little intermarriage or conversion into Judaism over the centuries. The results accord with Jewish history and tradition and refute theories which would allege that Jewish communities consist mostly of converts."

Answer 6

Historians and scholars say that the Jews were actually descendants of dissident Canaanites who left the coastal cities, to settle in the sparsely populated hinterland. They gradually developed folk stories that separated them from their forebears and, over time, formed a religious and national history around these stories.

Answer 7

Israelites, descended from the Hebrews.

The Jewish people are descendants of Abraham, whose Semitic ancestors lived in the Fertile Crescent and who lived most of his life in the Middle Eastern country of Israel (Canaan) 3800 years ago.

Abraham is called a Hebrew (Genesis ch.14) because "Hebrews" (Ivrim) means descendants of Eber (Ever). Ever was a Semite and an ancestor of Abraham (Genesis ch.10-11), and the early Hebrews were Abraham's uncles and cousins for several generations back. They were Western Semites and lived in northern Mesopotamia.In 1934-39, excavations were conducted at ancient Mari on the Euphrates River. They found that ancient towns were named after the ancestors of Abraham:
The city of Nahor was found near the city of Harran which exists to this day. Equally clear signs of early Hebrew residence appear in the names of other towns nearby: Serug (Assyrian Sarugi), Terah (Til Turakhi, "Mound of Terah"), and Peleg (Paliga, on the Euphrates near the mouth of the Habur). All these names are found in Genesis ch.11.

In Ur, Abraham first repudiated idolatry. (See: Abraham's biography.) He then sojourned in Harran (Syria) for several years, and then lived in Canaan (Israel). It was in Canaan that Abraham made a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15), and raised a family to be the center of carrying on his traditions (Genesis 18:19).

Abraham's chosen son was Isaac (Genesis ch.21). Isaac's son Jacob was blessed by God, who renamed him, calling him Israel (Genesis ch.35), which is why Jews are also called Israelites.

Jacob had 12 sons, who fathered the 12 Israelite tribes. The Israelites worshiped One God.

One thousand years after Jacob, ten of the tribes were exiled by the Assyrians, to points unknown. The only complete tribes left were Judah and Benjamin; plus part of Levi. The few thousands who remained from the other tribes joined the Tribe of Judah; and modern Jews are mostly descendants of Judah (hence the word "Jew").

This tradition has been substantiated by DNA analysis of Jewish communities all over the world, showing them to be inter-related and of Middle Eastern origin. The Cohanim, a family of the tribe of Levi, also share common genetics.

We possess the names and dates of our ancestors and leaders in an unbroken chain for 3800 years.

In 2000, Nicholas Wade concluded that his DNA study "provided genetic witness that Jewish communities have, to a remarkable extent, retained their biological identity separate from their host populations, evidence of relatively little intermarriage or conversion into Judaism over the centuries. The results accord with Jewish history and tradition."

See also:

Jewish history timeline

What race were the Israelites?

Jewish ancestry

Answer 8

• Link: What race were the Israelites?
  

The Jewish people are descendants of Abraham, whose Semitic ancestors lived in the Fertile Crescent and who lived most of his life in the Middle Eastern country of Israel (Canaan) 3800 years ago. They were unrelated to the Canaanites.

Abraham is called a Hebrew (Genesis ch.14) because "Hebrews" (Ivrim) means descendants of Eber (Ever). Ever was a Semite and an ancestor of Abraham (Genesis ch.10-11), and the early Hebrews were Abraham's uncles and cousins for several generations back. They were Western Semites and lived in northern Mesopotamia.In 1934-39, excavations were conducted at ancient Mari on the Euphrates River. They found that ancient towns were named after the ancestors of Abraham:
The city of Nahor was found near the city of Harran which exists to this day. Equally clear signs of early Hebrew residence appear in the names of other towns nearby: Serug (Assyrian Sarugi), Terah (Til Turakhi, "Mound of Terah"), and Peleg (Paliga, on the Euphrates near the mouth of the Habur). All these names are found in Genesis ch.11.

In Ur, Abraham first repudiated idolatry. He then sojourned in Harran (Syria) for several years, and then lived in Canaan (Israel). It was in Canaan that Abraham made a covenant with God (Genesis ch.15), and raised a family to be the center of carrying on his traditions (Genesis 18:19).

• Link: Abraham's biography.
  

Abraham's chosen son was Isaac (Genesis ch.21). Isaac's son Jacob was blessed by God, who renamed him, calling him Israel (Genesis ch.35), which is why Jews are also called Israelites.

Jacob had 12 sons, who fathered the 12 Israelite tribes. The Israelites worshiped One God.

One thousand years after Jacob, ten of the tribes were exiled by the Assyrians, to points unknown. The only complete tribes left were Judah and Benjamin; plus part of Levi. The few thousands who remained from the other tribes joined the Tribe of Judah; and modern Jews are mostly descendants of Judah (hence the word "Jew").

This tradition has been substantiated by DNA analysis of Jewish communities all over the world, showing them to be inter-related and of Middle Eastern origin. The Cohanim, a family of the tribe of Levi, also share common genetics.

We possess the names and dates of our ancestors and leaders in an unbroken chain for 3800 years.

In 2000, Nicholas Wade concluded that his DNA study "provided genetic witness that Jewish communities have, to a remarkable extent, retained their biological identity separate from their host populations, evidence of relatively little intermarriage or conversion into Judaism over the centuries. The results accord with Jewish history and tradition."

See also the Related Links.

Link: Jewish history timeline

Link: Jewish ancestry

Answer 9

The original Jews were the inhabitants of Judah, a small inland enclave to the west of the Dead Sea, and closely related to the Israelites to their north and the Moabites to their east. Biblical tradition says that the Jews and Israelites were descended from the legendary Abraham, son of Terah, and that his descendants were enslaved in Egypt until they escaped and travelled north to conquer all the cities of Canaan and settle there. According to The Bible, the first three kings of Judah also ruled over Israel, to the north of Judah, until the people of Israel revolted and became independent of their much smaller and less prosperous southern neighbour.

Historians now say that the real forerunners of the Jews - and of the Israelites - were rural Canaanites who left the region of the rich coastal cities, to settle in the hitherto sparsely populated hinterland. This occurred without conquest and without the infamous genocide of the Bible.

Answer 10

Hebrews, and later, Israelites and then Jews. "Hebrews" (Ivrim) means descendants of Eber (Ever). Ever was an ancestor of Abraham (Genesis ch.10-11) and the earliest Hebrews were Abraham's uncles and cousins for several generations back. They were among the Western Semites and lived in northern Mesopotamia, near the confluence of the Balikh and the Euphrates.
Abraham (18th century BCE) was called a Hebrew (Genesis ch.14) because of his wider family.

Poetically, however, Abraham himself is called Hebrew because that name (Ivri) also translates to "the other side." Abraham was figuratively on "the other side" since he was the only monotheist (Midrash Rabbah 42:8) until his teachings took root. His ancestors and cousins had slipped into idolatry well before his time, as is evident from Genesis 31:30, 31:53, and Joshua 24:2. For that reason, Jews do not bestow on them the honorific title of ancestors despite the genealogical connection.
We credit Abraham as our first ancestor despite knowing exactly who came before, since it was Abraham who founded our beliefs. Thus, "Hebrews" is often used to mean Abraham and his Israelite descendants, instead of his wider family. In this sense it can refer to the Jewish people.

• Link: Abraham's biography
  

The word "Hebrews" can continue to refer to Abraham's descendants until the lifetime of Jacob. After that, we prefer "Israelites," since Jacob was given that name by God (Genesis ch.35), and it is considered a national title; one of honor. "Israelites" refers to the people (Jacob's descendants) down to the Assyrian conquest (133 years before the destruction of the First Temple), some 2600 years ago.

• Link: Jewish ancestry
  

"Jews" refers to the same people, from the end of First Temple times up to this day, because after the Assyrian conquest the Israelites who remained in the land were (and are) mostly from the Israelite tribe of Judah, and the land was then called Judea. But all the above terms are occasionally interchanged.

In modern usage, we prefer to use the term "Hebrew" only to refer to the language.