Are Jews Hebrews or are Hebrews Jews?

Answer 1

Hebrew refers to the ancient people that later became the Jews, but both terms are used interchangeably in ancient times.

In modern times, Hebrew refers to a language, and Jew refers to the people.

Answer:

"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. They were among the Western Semites and lived in northern Mesopotamia, near the confluence of the Balikh and the Euphrates.

Abraham himself was called a Hebrew (Genesis ch.14) because of his wider family. Poetically, however, Abraham is called Ivri because the name also translates to "other side." Abraham was figuratively on "the other side" since he was the only monotheist (Midrash Bereshit 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.

However, "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.

The word Hebrews can continue to refer to Abraham's descendants until the lifetime of Jacob. After that, we prefer "Israelite," since Jacob was given that name by God (Genesis ch.35), and it is considered a national title; one of honor, whereas Hebrews is generic. "Israelite" refers to the people (Jacob's descendants) down to about the time of the destruction of the First Temple some 2500 years ago.

"Jews" refers to the Israelite people from Second Temple times, up to this day, because after the Assyrian conquest the remaining Israelites were (and are) mostly from the Israelite tribe of Judah, as the rest of Jacob's descendants (Ten Tribes) were exiled and didn't return. But all the above terms are occasionally interchanged.

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

Note that the answer below this one is replete with errors. Suffice it to point out that DNA analyses of Jewish communities worldwide has shown that the Jewish people are who their tradition says they are. The Edomites are a separate people, never confused with the Jews.

Answer:

The name "Jew" came from the word "Judea" which was a region captured by the Assyrians when they took the tribe of Judah to Babylon. The Edomites moved in to and took over the area. 2 Kings 16:6 Therefore, those Jews who descended from the Edomites are Hebrew. However, they did not descend from Jacob/Israel but from his brother, Esau.

The Edomites were the Pharisees, who wrote the Talmud.

John 8:

31. Then Jesus said to those Jews (mistranslation) who believed in Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

32. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

33. They answered Him, We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free'?"

44. "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

According to Benjamin Freedman, the word "Jew" didn't exist until the 18th century.