Israel (name)
Encyclopedia
Israel is a Biblical given name
.
The patriarch Jacob
was given the name Israel (Hebrew
: יִשְׂרָאֵל, Standard Tiberian
; "Struggled with God") after he wrestled with the angel ( and 35:10)
The name already occurs in Eblaite and Ugaritic texts as a common name. Commentators differ on the original literal meaning. Some say the name comes from the verb śarar ("to rule, be strong, have authority over"), thereby making the name mean "God rules" or "God judges". Other possible meanings include "the prince of God" (from the King James Version) or "El
fights/struggles".
Jacob's descendants came to be known as the Israelites, eventually forming the tribes of Israel and ultimately the kingdom of Israel, from whence the name of modern day Israel
.
In Israel the name "Israel Israeli
" is sometimes used to mean someone whose name is unknown or unspecified.
Given name
A given name, in Western contexts often referred to as a first name, is a personal name that specifies and differentiates between members of a group of individuals, especially in a family, all of whose members usually share the same family name...
.
The patriarch Jacob
Jacob
Jacob "heel" or "leg-puller"), also later known as Israel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the New Testament and the Qur'an was the third patriarch of the Hebrew people with whom God made a covenant, and ancestor of the tribes of Israel, which were named after his descendants.In the...
was given the name Israel (Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
: יִשְׂרָאֵל, Standard Tiberian
Tiberian vocalization
The Tiberian vocalization is a system of diacritics devised by the Masoretes to add to the consonantal Masoretic text of the Hebrew Bible; this system soon became used to vocalize other texts as well...
; "Struggled with God") after he wrestled with the angel ( and 35:10)
The name already occurs in Eblaite and Ugaritic texts as a common name. Commentators differ on the original literal meaning. Some say the name comes from the verb śarar ("to rule, be strong, have authority over"), thereby making the name mean "God rules" or "God judges". Other possible meanings include "the prince of God" (from the King James Version) or "El
El (god)
is a Northwest Semitic word meaning "deity", cognate to Akkadian and then to Hebrew : Eli and Arabic )....
fights/struggles".
Jacob's descendants came to be known as the Israelites, eventually forming the tribes of Israel and ultimately the kingdom of Israel, from whence the name of modern day Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
.
In Israel the name "Israel Israeli
Israel Israeli
Israel Israeli is a placeholder name used in Israel in much the same manner as John Doe in the United States, Joe Bloggs in the United Kingdom, or Fulanito in Spain....
" is sometimes used to mean someone whose name is unknown or unspecified.
Given name
- Israel (Bishop of Caucasian Albania)Israel (Bishop of Caucasian Albania)Israel was the bishop of Caucasian Albania in the latter part of the seventh century. In 682 he led an unsuccessful delegation to convert Alp Iluetuer, the ruler of the North Caucasian Huns, to Christianity. Israel wrote about the customs of the Huns, including the local cult of Tengri....
, 7th century CE - Israel Asper (1932–2003), Canadian media magnate
- Israel of AxumIsrael of AxumIsrael was a king of Axum. He is primarily known through the coins minted during his reign....
, Emperor of Ethiopia in the 6th century CE - Israel Baline (1888–1989), the birth name of American composer Irving BerlinIrving BerlinIrving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...
- Israel CruzIsrael (singer)Israel Cruz is an Australian singer-songwriter and record producer.-Albums:-Singles:- Songwriting credits :*Elen Levon**"Naughty" *Jessica Mauboy**"Been Waiting" **"What Happened to Us"...
(born 1983), Australian singer - Israel DaggIsrael DaggIsrael Dagg is a World Cup winning New Zealand Rugby union player who plays for the Crusaders in the Super 15 and the All Blacks. He has also played for the New Zealand Sevens team. He is of Maori descent, on his mother's side....
(born 1988), New Zealand rugby player - Israel ben Eliezer (1698–1760), Jewish mystical rabbi
- Israel FolauIsrael FolauIsrael Folau is a professional Australian rules footballer currently listed with the Greater Western Sydney Football Club in the Australian Football League . He previously played Rugby league for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League from 2007 to 2008 where he broke the record for most...
(born 1989), Australian rugby league player - Israel GelfandIsrael GelfandIsrael Moiseevich Gelfand, also written Israïl Moyseyovich Gel'fand, or Izrail M. Gelfand was a Soviet mathematician who made major contributions to many branches of mathematics, including group theory, representation theory and functional analysis...
(1913–2009), Russian mathematician - Israel Gigato (born 1987), Spanish football player
- Israel HandsIsrael HandsIsrael Hands was an 18th century pirate, also known as Basilica Hands. Hands is best known for being second in command to Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard...
, 18th Century pirate - Israel HoughtonIsrael Houghton-Other recordings :* "Champions for Christ" - Hi5 * "Where Are the Fathers?" from He-Motions * "Send Me to the Nations" from A Wing & A Prayer...
(born 1971), American singer and Christian worship leader - Israel IdonijeIsrael IdonijeIsrael Idonije is a Nigerian-Canadian defensive end for the National Football League's Chicago Bears. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Manitoba...
(born 1980), Nigeria-born Canadian player of American football - Israel Kamakawiwoʻole (1959–1997), Hawaiian singer
- Israel KirznerIsrael KirznerIsrael Meir Kirzner is a leading economist in the Austrian School.-Early life:The son of a well-known rabbi and Talmudist, Kirzner was born in London, England and came to the United States via South Africa.-Education:After studying with the University of Cape Town, South Africa in 1947-48 and...
(born 1930), American economist - Israel of KremsIsrael of KremsIsrael of Krems was an Austrian rabbi who flourished in the 14th and 15th centuries. He was the great-grandfather of Israel ben Petahiah Isserlein, who quotes him in his commentary on Rashi to the Pentateuch, section "Wayeḥi." Israel was the author of Haggahot Asheri, notes on Rabbeinu Asher's...
, 14th-15th century Austrian rabbi - Israel "Izzy" LangIzzy LangIsrael Alvin "Izzy" Lang is a former American football running back who played for six seasons in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 18th round of the 1964 NFL Draft. He played for the Eagles from 1964–1968, and the Los Angeles Rams in 1969...
, American football running back - Israel MachadoIsrael MachadoIsrael Machado Campelo Andrade is a former basketball player from Brazil. He represented his native country at three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1984. Machado was a member of the men's national team that won the gold medal at the 1987 Pan American Games, scoring 78 points in seven...
(born 1960), Brazilian basketball player - Israel OchoaIsrael OchoaIsrael Antonio Ochoa Plazas is a retired male professional racing cyclist from Colombia, who was nicknamed El Rápido during his career.-Career:1993199419951996...
(born 1964), Colombian cyclist - Israel PutnamIsrael PutnamIsrael Putnam was an American army general and Freemason who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War...
(1718–1790), American general - Israel RegardieIsrael RegardieIsrael Regardie, born Francis Israel Regudy was an occultist and writer, author of books on the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.-Early life:...
(1907–1985), British occultist - Israel B. RichardsonIsrael B. RichardsonIsrael Bush Richardson was a United States Army officer during the Mexican-American War and American Civil War, where he was a major general in the Union Army...
(1815–1862), Union major general in the American Civil War - Israel ShahakIsrael ShahakIsrael Shahak was a Polish-born Israeli professor of chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, known especially as a radical political thinker, author, and civil rights activist. Between 1970-1990, he was president of the Israeli League for Human and Civil Rights and was an outspoken critic...
(1933–2001), Israeli author - Israel ShamirIsrael ShamirIsrael Shamir is a writer and journalist. He is a commentator on Arab - Israeli relations and Jewish culture. Originally from Novosibirsk, Siberia, Shamir says he moved to Israel in 1969, serving in the 1973 war, after which he took up journalism and writing...
(born 1947), Swedish anti-Zionist writer - Israel VázquezIsrael VázquezIsrael Vázquez Castañeda is a Mexican professional boxer. He is a former Super Bantamweight world champion, having held titles at this weight from 2004 to 2008...
(born 1977), Mexican boxer - Yisrael Meir LauYisrael Meir LauYisrael Meir Lau is the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, Israel, and Chairman of Yad Vashem. He previously served as the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel from 1993 to 2003.-Biography:...
(born 1937), Orthodox Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel
Surname
- Dan IsraelDan IsraelDan Israel is a 15-year veteran singer-songwriter currently based in Minneapolis, who won Song of the Year in the 2005 Minnesota Music Awards...
, American musician - Edward IsraelEdward Israel-Early years:Israel was born in Kalamazoo, Michigan on July 1, 1859. He was the son of Mannes and Tillie Israel, the first Jews to settle in Kalamazoo...
(1859–1884), American astronomer and polar explorer - Elizabeth IsraelElizabeth IsraelMione Elizabeth George Israel , known as Mione "Minette" George for much of her life, and as Elizabeth Israel and Ma Pampo later in life, was the focus of one of the most widely publicized longevity claims of recent years.-Biography:Israel was born in Dominica...
(1875–2003), Dominican supercentenarian - Jonathan IsraelJonathan IsraelProfessor Jonathan Irvine Israel is a British writer on Dutch history, the Age of Enlightenment and European Jewry. Israel was appointed the Modern European History Professor in the School of Historical Studies at the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton Township, New Jersey, U.S...
(born 1946), British historian - Märt IsraelMärt IsraelMärt Israel is a male discus thrower from Estonia. His personal best is 66.98, achieved in May 2011 in Chula Vista .-Achievements:...
(born 1983), Estonian discus thrower - Menasseh ben IsraelMenasseh Ben IsraelManoel Dias Soeiro , better known by his Hebrew name Menasseh Ben Israel , was a Portuguese rabbi, kabbalist, scholar, writer, diplomat, printer and publisher, founder of the first Hebrew printing press in Amsterdam in...
(1604–1657), Portuguese rabbi and scholar - Rinus IsraëlRinus IsraëlMarinus David Israël is a former Dutch football player, manager and currently scout....
(born 1942), Dutch football player and manager - Steve IsraelSteve IsraelSteve J. Israel is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 2001. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located on Long Island and includes the towns of Huntington, Babylon, Islip, and Smithtown in Suffolk County, part of the town of Oyster Bay in Nassau County, and the...
(born 1958), American politician - Steve Israel (American football)Steve Israel (American football)Steven Douglas Israel is a former American football cornerback-Career:Israel played high school football at Haddon Heights High School....
(born 1969), American football player - Yuri IzraelYuri IzraelYuri A. Izrael was a vice-chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change until September 2008, when the new bureau was elected. He was the "most influential scientific adviser" for Vladimir Putin, the former president of Russia, according to CNN.Izrael is a former chairman of the...
(born 1930), Russian scientist and vice-chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change