Showing results for "Israelites"

• plural of Israelite.

Israelites

Cultural  

1. The descendants of Jacob, who made up twelve tribes, including the tribes of Judah, Levi, Reuben, and Benjamin.

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Example Sentences

The image called to mind the golden calf of Abrahamic religious texts, worshipped by the Israelites to Moses’—and God’s—dismay.

From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026

Rather than refer to the Jews as Israelites, the Book of Esther calls them Yehudim—descendants of Judah, the biblical son of Jacob, whose name derives from the Hebrew word hoda’ah, grateful acknowledgment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

The major Jewish holiday celebrates the exodus of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and so has special poignancy for the freed hostages and those still captive in Gaza, like Eitan.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2025

Sukkot is a weeklong Jewish holiday that celebrates the fall harvest and commemorates the biblical story of the Israelites wandering in the desert for 40 years after escaping slavery in Egypt.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 22, 2024

He kept the Sabbath on Saturday, observed Passover and other important Jewish holidays, and belonged to a small neighborhood congregation, whose members called themselves Hebrews or Israelites.

From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman