Jew; Jewess; Jewish

From BibleEncyclopedia.Net

jū, jōō, jū´ish, jōō´-ish (,יהוּדי yehūdhī, plural יהוּדים, yehūdhīm; Ἰονδαῖοι, Ioudaíoi; feminine adjective יהוּדית, yehūdhīth; Ἰονδαΐκός, Iou̇dai̇kós):

“Jew” denotes originally an inhabitant of Judah (2Ki_16:6 applies to the two tribes of the Southern Kingdom), but later the meaning was extended to embrace all descendants of Abraham. In the Old Testament the word occurs a few times in the singular. (Est_2:5; Est_3:4, etc.; Jer_34:9; Zec_8:23); very frequently in the plural in Ezra and Nehemiah, Esther, and in Jeremiah and Daniel. The adjective in the Old Testament applies only to the “Jews' language” or speech (2Ki_18:26, 2Ki_18:28 parallel Neh_13:24; Isa_36:11, Isa_36:13). “Jews” (always plural) is the familiar term for Israelites in the Gospels (especially in John), Acts, Epistles, etc. “Jewess” occurs in 1Ch_4:18; Act_16:1; Act_24:24. In Tit_1:14 a warning is given against “Jewish fables” (in Greek the adjective is found also in Gal_2:14). The “Jews' religion” (Ioudaismós) is referred to in Gal_1:13, Gal_1:14. On the “Jews' language, see Languages Of The Old Testament; on the “Jews' religion,” see Religion Of Israel.