What does Hebrew mean according to the Bible?

Answer 1

The Bible doesn't define the word Hebrew (Ivri (עברי), but one interpreation is that it comes from the word eh-vehr (עבר) which means "beyond."

• Answer:

"Hebrew" (Ivri) and "Hebrews" (Ivrim) means the descendants of Eber (Ever), and their language. 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.

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.