Bible Lexicons

Ἰουδαία, Ἰουδαίας, ἡ (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 18, 5 a.) (namely, γῆ, which is added John 3:22, or χώρα, Mark 1:5; from the adjective Ἰουδαῖος, which see), Judaea (Hebrew יְהוּדָה); in the O. T. a region of Palestine, named after the tribe of Judah, which inhabited it: Judges 17:7-9; Ruth 1:1; 2 Samuel 2:1, etc. Its boundaries are laid down in Joshua 15:1ff After the time of David, when the kingdom had been rent asunder, the name was given to the kingdom of Judah, to which were reckoned, besides the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, certain cities of the tribes of Dan and Simeon, together with the metropolis of Jerusalem: 1 Kings 14:21, 29; 1 Kings 15:7, etc. In the N. T. the name is given:

1. in a narrower sense, to the southern part of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea, Idumaea (Mark 3:8): Matthew 2:1, 5, 22; Matthew 3:5; Matthew 4:25; Matthew 24:16; Mark 3:7; Mark 13:14; Luke 2:4; John 4:3, 47, 54; Acts 1:8; Acts 8:1, etc.; it stands for its inhabitants in Matthew 3:5; Mark 1:5 (2 Chronicles 32:33; 2 Chronicles 35:24).

2. in a broader sense, to all Palestine: Luke 1:5; (Luke 4:44 WH Tr marginal reading); Luke 7:11; Luke 23:5; Acts 2:9; Acts 10:37; Acts 11:1, 29 (and perhaps 2 Corinthians 1:16; Galatians 1:22); πᾶσα ἡ χώρα τῆς Ἰουδαίας, Acts 26:20; εἰς τά ὅρια τῆς Ἰουδαίας πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου, into the borders of Judaea (in the broader sense) beyond the Jordan, i. e. into Peraea, Matthew 19:1; on the contrary, in the parallel passage, Mark 10:1 R G, εἰς τά ὅρια τῆς Ἰουδαίας διά τοῦ πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου, Jesus is said to have come into the borders of Judaea (in the narrower sense) through Peraea; but according to the reading of L T Tr WH, viz. καί πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου and (in particular that part of Judaea which lay) beyond the Jordan, Mark agrees with Matthew; (others regard πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου here as parallel with τῆς Ἰουδαίας and like it dependent upon ὅρια). Ἰουδαΐζω; (from Ἰουδαῖος, cf. Ἑλληνιστής (Winers Grammar, 92 (87))), to adopt Jewish customs and rites, imitate the Jews, Judaize: of one who observes the ritual law of the Jews, Galatians 2:14. (Esther 8:17; Ignatius ad Magnes. 10, 3 [ET]; Evang. Nicod. c. 2; Plutarch, Cicero 7; to favor the Jews, Josephus, b. j. 2, 18, 2.)