Bible Dictionary
Israel
Israel was the name God gave Jacob after his struggle at Peniel and became the common name for his descendants, the twelve tribes. It also designated the northern kingdom and, in some passages, God’s faithful people.
Biblical Usage
Scripture calls the people “Israelites,” “children of Israel,” and the “house of Israel.” The name may also emphasize the true or faithful Israel. After Saul’s death, the ten tribes used Israel as their national designation, while the two-tribe kingdom was called Judah; after the Exile, Israel again designated the whole nation.
Scripture References
Genesis 32:28
Joshua 3:17
Joshua 7:25
Judges 8:27
Jeremiah 3:21
Exodus 16:31
Exodus 40:38
Psalms 73:1
Isaiah 45:17
Isaiah 49:3
John 1:47
Romans 9:6
Romans 11:26
2 Samuel 2:9
2 Samuel 2:10
2 Samuel 2:17
2 Samuel 2:28
2 Samuel 3:10
2 Samuel 3:17
2 Samuel 19:40-43
Hosea 12:4
Exodus 3:16
1 Samuel 11:8
2 Samuel 20:1
1 Kings 12:16
Ezra 6:16
Ezra 9:1
Ezra 10:25
Nehemiah 11:3