Genesis Vol 3.pdf - College Press

THE GENERATIONS OF TERAH 11 :27-92
phrates. The two opinions are not necessarily incompatible.
Indeed the name may have been prophetic, thus
including a pre-intimation of the migratory tendencies and
life of his (Eber’s) posterity.
Perhaps it should be noted here that the name ‘Jew
came to be used to designate an inhabitant of the kingdom
and land of Judah. It seems to have originated during
and after the Captivity. It was commonly used by non-
Jews to refer to the Hebrews, or descendants of Abraham
in general. In Jeremiah 34:9, “Jew” is used to explain
“Hebrew.” (See Jeremiah, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther,
Daniel), It is also used to describe the local Semitic dialect
spoken in Judah (“Jews’ language,” 2 Ki. 18:26, 28; Isa.
36:11, 13; Neh. 13:24), Similarly, in the A.V., “Jewry”
stands for Judah (Dan. 5:13, Luke 23:5, John 7:l). By
New Testament times the plural form ccJewsyy had become
a familiar term for all Israelites. Note the feminine
“Jewess” in 1 Chron. 4:18; Acts 16:1, 24:24; also the
adjective “Jewish” in Gal. 2:14 (Gr.), Tit. 1:14.
The Patriarchal Dispeizsation
The name “patriarch” (from the Greek pafriarches,
“father rule”) occurs only in the New Testament, and is
given only to the heads or princes of the family group,
with reference particularly to those who lived before the
time of Moses. The family included, as a rule, some three
or four generations, and with increase in number gradually
developed into the tribe. (The Apostle’s reference to
“the patriarch David” (Acts 2:29) seems to be a recognition
of David’s primacy as the head of the monarchy. The
Davidic reign was always held by the people of Israel to
be the most glorious period of their history. The city of
Jerusalem is repeatedly designated “the city of David” in
the Old Testament historical books: cf. 2 Sam. 6:10, I Ki,
2:10, 1 Chron. 11:7, 2 Chron. 9:31, etc., cf. Luke 2:4, 11.
Note also Psa. 48:2 and the Messianic prophecy, Isa. 9:6-7;
also the words of Jesus, Matt. 5: 3 5, “nor by Jerusalem, for
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