Bible Lexicons

Ἰσραήλ (Josephus, Ἰσραηλος, Ἰσραηλου), ὁ, indeclinable, (יִשְׂרָאֵל, from שָׂרָה and אֵל, wrestler with God, Genesis 32:28; Hosea 12:4, cf. Genesis 35:10), Israel, a name given to the patriarch Jacob (and borne by him in addition to his former name from Genesis 32:28 on): ὁ οἶκος Ἰσραήλ, the family or descendants of Israel, the race of Israel (A. V. the house of Israel), Matthew 10:6; Matthew 15:24; Acts 7:42 (Exodus 16:31; 1 Samuel 7:2, and often); οἱ υἱοί Ἰσραήλ the (sons, i. e. the children, the) posterity of Israel, Luke 1:16; Acts 5:21; Acts 7:23, 37; Romans 9:27; αἱ φυλαί τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, Matthew 19:28; Luke 22:30; Revelation 7:4. By metonymy, for the posterity of Israel i. e. the Israelites (a name of especially honor because it made reference to the promises of salvation through the Messiah, which were given to Jacob in preference to Esau, and to be fulfilled to his posterity (see Ἰουδαῖος, b.)): Matthew 2:6; Matthew 8:10; Matthew 9:33; Luke 1:54, 68, 80; Acts 4:8 (R G); Ephesians 2:12; Romans 11:2, 7, 26, etc. (Exodus 5:2; Exodus 11:7, and often); ὁ λαός Ἰσραήλ, Acts 4:10, 27; γῆ Ἰσραήλ i. e. Palestine ((1 Samuel 13:19, etc.)), Matthew 2:20f; βασιλεύς Ἰσραήλ, Matthew 27:42; John 1:49 (50); ἡ ἐλπίς τοῦ Ἰσραήλ Acts 28:20; ὁ Ἰσραήλ τοῦ Θεοῦ (genitive of possession), i. e. Christians, Galatians 6:16; ὁ Ἰσραήλ κατά σάρκα, Israelites by birth, i. e. Jews, 1 Corinthians 10:18; in an emphatic sense, οὐ γάρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραήλ κτλ., for not all those that draw their bodily descent from Israel are true Israelites, i. e. are those whom God pronounces to be Israelites and has chosen to salvation, Romans 9:6.