BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
Israel (יִשְׂרָאֵל) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
יִשְׂרָאֵל (yiśrāʾēl) is the proper name Israel, used both as a symbolic name for the patriarch Jacob and as the collective name for his descendants.
Meaning of the word
According to the lexicon, יִשְׂרָאֵל is defined as a symbolic name of Jacob and, more typically, of his posterity. The term functions primarily as a proper noun rather than a common noun, identifying a specific people by their covenantal relationship with God through the patriarch.
When used of an individual, the name refers to Jacob, the son of Isaac and grandson of Abraham, whose name was changed from Jacob to Israel. In the vast majority of its occurrences, however, Israel designates the collective people descended from Jacob's twelve sons — the people of Israel.
Usage in Scripture
In the provided sample from Exodus 14, Israel appears consistently as a collective designation. Pharaoh refers to 'the children of Israel' (Exodus 14:3, 14:5, 14:8, 14:10, 14:15, 14:16, 14:22) — the people whom Moses is leading out of Egypt. The camp of Israel is set in contrast to the camp of Egypt (Exodus 14:19-20), and the angel of God is described as 'who went before the camp of Israel.'
These passages illustrate Israel's role as a covenant community in a moment of crisis: trapped at the sea with Pharaoh's army in pursuit, they cry out to Jehovah (Exodus 14:10), are told to go forward (Exodus 14:15), and pass through the divided sea on dry ground (Exodus 14:22). The name carries weight as the identity of the people God is delivering.
The word in detail
- H3478 H3478 (יִשְׂרָאֵל, yiśrāʾēl) is the proper name 'Israel,' functioning as a symbolic name for Jacob and, more typically, as the collective name for his descendants.
Example verses
- Exodus 14:5 Pharaoh's question 'What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go' identifies Israel as a people group whose servitude Pharaoh regrets losing.
- Exodus 14:10 Israel cries out to Jehovah when trapped between the sea and Pharaoh's army, showing the term denoting a people in covenant relation who call upon their God.
- Exodus 14:19 The angel of God 'went before the camp of Israel,' presenting Israel as a structured community led by divine presence.
- Exodus 14:22 Israel passes through the sea on dry ground, marking a foundational moment of identity for the people named יִשְׂרָאֵל.
Common questions
Does Israel in the Bible refer to a person or a people?
Both. Israel is the symbolic name of the patriarch Jacob, and it more commonly designates the collective descendants of his twelve sons — the people of Israel.
Why is Israel called 'children of Israel' so often?
The phrase 'children of Israel' emphasizes the genealogical identity of the people as descendants of Jacob/Israel, as seen repeatedly in Exodus 14 (vv. 3, 5, 8, 10, 15, 16, 22).
What should a reader keep in mind about Israel in Exodus 14?
In this chapter Israel is depicted as a covenant community in deliverance history — pursued by Egypt, guided by the angel of God, and rescued through the sea. The name carries both ethnic and theological weight.