Israelite

Israelite
/iz"ree euh luyt', -ray-/, n.
1. a descendant of Jacob, esp. a member of the Hebrew people who inhabited the ancient kingdom of Israel.
2. one of a group considered by its members or by others as God's chosen people.
adj.
3. of or pertaining to ancient Israel or its people; Hebrew.
[1350-1400; ME; see ISRAEL, -ITE1]

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In early Jewish history, a member of the 12 tribes of Israel.

After the establishment (930 BC) of two Jewish kingdoms (Israel and Judah) in Palestine, only the ten northern tribes constituting the kingdom of Israel were known as Israelites. When Israel was conquered by the Assyrians (721 BC), its population was absorbed by other peoples, and the term Israelite came to refer to those who were still distinctively Jewish
the descendants of the kingdom of Judah. In liturgical usage, an Israelite is a Jew who is neither a cohen nor a Levite (see Levi).

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people
      in the broadest sense, a Jew, or a descendant of the Jewish patriarch Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel after an all-night fight at Penuel near the stream of Jabbok (Genesis 32:28). In early Jewish history, Israelites were simply members of the 12 tribes of Israel. After 930 BC and the establishment of two independent Jewish kingdoms in Palestine, the ten northern tribes constituting the Kingdom of Israel were known as Israelites to distinguish them from Jews in the southern Kingdom of Judah. The northern kingdom was conquered by the Assyrians in 721 BC, and its population was eventually absorbed by other peoples. Thereafter, the name Israelite referred to those who were still distinctively Jewish, namely, descendants of the Kingdom of Judah.

      In liturgical usage, an Israelite is a Jew who is neither a cohen (descendant of Aaron, the first high priest) nor a Levite (descendant of early religious functionaries). The distinction is significant, for if a cohen is present for synagogue service, he must be called up first for the reading of the Law; he is then followed by a Levite. Normally, therefore, an Israelite is not called up until the third reading.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • israélite — [ israelit ] n. et adj. • 1458; de Israël 1 ♦ Descendant d Israël, autre nom de Jacob dans la Bible. 2 ♦ Vieilli Personne qui appartient à la communauté, à la religion juive. ⇒ hébreu, juif. REM. Ce nom peut avoir des connotations antisémites… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • ISRAELITE — (Ar. Isrāʾīliyyāt, Israelite tales), name of a type of Muslim literature which deals with two different subjects: (1) stories from the Bible, legends, and other tales as they have been handed down in Jewish literature in the name of figures from… …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • Israelite — Is ra*el*ite, n. [L. Isra[ e]lites, Gr. ?, fr. ?, ?, Israel, Heb. Yisr[=a][=e]l, i. e., champion of God; s[=a]r[=a]h to fight + [=e]l God.] A descendant of Israel, or Jacob; a Hebrew; a Jew …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Israelite — (n.) late 14c., from L. israelita, from Gk. Israelites, from Israel (see ISRAEL (Cf. Israel)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • Israelite — ► NOUN ▪ a member of the ancient Hebrew nation. ► ADJECTIVE ▪ relating to the Israelites …   English terms dictionary

  • Israelite — [iz′rē əlit′ikiz′rē ə līt΄, iz′rāə līt΄; iz′rə līt΄] n. [ME < LL(Ec) Israelita < Gr Israēlitēs] a member of the people of ancient Israel or their descendants; Hebrew adj. of ancient Israel or the Israelites: also Israelitish [iz′rē… …   English World dictionary

  • Israélite — Cette page d’homonymie répertorie les différents sujets et articles partageant un même nom. Le terme « israélite » est souvent utilisé comme synonyme de juif. Mais cela exige quelques éclaircissements. Il peut désigner : les… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • israélite — (i sra é li t ) s. m. 1°   Nom des hommes appartenant au peuple d Israël.    Fig. C est un bon Israélite, c est un vrai Israélite sans déguisement et sans artifice, c est un homme franc et sincère : phrase proverbiale qui est la parole même de… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • ISRAÉLITE — s. m. On ne met pas ici ce mot comme un nom de nation, mais parce qu il entre dans cette phrase, C est un bon Israélite, C est un homme simple et plein de candeur.  Il s emploie quelquefois adjectivement en parlant De certaines choses qui… …   Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise, 7eme edition (1835)

  • Israëlite — Judaïsme  Cet article traite de la religion des Juifs. Pour un aperçu de ceux ci dans leur ensemble, voir Juifs …   Wikipédia en Français

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