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Question(s) of the Day

January 12th, 2008 · 10 Comments

Sometimes a girl just needs Catholic Answers, you know?

1.  Why would someone exclaim, “Jehoshaphat”?  I know he was one of the “good” kings of Judah during the Divided Kingdom, but how does that relate?

2.  When and why did the Israelites start self-identifying as Jews and Hebrews?  What is the etymology of those designations?

Tags: Question of the Day

10 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Jaibee // Jan 12, 2008 at 11:38 pm

    Submitted by Kasia—–
    I don’t know the answer(s) to either of those questions. I would hazard a guess that the first one was a euphemistic substitution for taking Our Lord’s name in vain (kind of like saying “Oh fudge” or “Oh darn” instead of the more colorful versions)…

  • 2 Jaibee // Jan 12, 2008 at 11:39 pm

    Even if uttered by our second-favorite priest?

  • 3 Jaibee // Jan 12, 2008 at 11:39 pm

    Submitted by Kasia—–
    I’m thinking etymology, not necessarily intent…

    Incidentally, which priest is our second-favorite? (We have so many…)

  • 4 Jaibee // Jan 12, 2008 at 11:40 pm

    Ah, one of your concelebrants. The only one of the four that I know….

  • 5 Jaibee // Jan 12, 2008 at 11:42 pm

    Submitted by Kasia—–
    Ah!

    Who is our favorite, then?

  • 6 Jaibee // Jan 12, 2008 at 11:42 pm

    Jesus. :)

  • 7 Jaibee // Jan 12, 2008 at 11:43 pm

    Submitted by Kasia—–
    ** BIG THUMBS UP ** :-)

  • 8 Kevin // Jan 16, 2008 at 9:31 am

    The Hebrews were a group of middle-eastern people that were continually harrassed by the Egyptians. Some of them had an ancestor named Jacob, who was also called Israel, were enslaved by the Egyptians and brought out of slavery by their God. This God made a covenant with them, because he remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So these “Children of Israel” entered into the land that God gave them, called it “Israel” and called themselves “Israelites.”

    The twelve tribes of Israel eventually formed a kingdom that lasted for 3 kings. After King Solomon’s death, it split into two kingdoms – a northern kingdom named “Israel” and a southern kingdom named “Judah.” Israel was wiped out by the Assyrians, and its 10 tribes became the lost tribes of Israel. Later, Judah was destroyed by the Babylonians, and its people carried off into captivity. But these people held onto their identity, and called themselves “Jews” – a named derived from their old country, Judah (or Judea as it would later be called).

  • 9 Jaibee // Jan 16, 2008 at 9:44 am

    So, Hebrews after the covenant was formed with Abraham; Israelites after they entered the Promised Land with Joshua; and Jews after the Babylonian exile?

  • 10 Kevin // Jan 16, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    That’s as near as I can figure it, Jaibee.

    I just realized I didn’t answer the part about etymology.

    In Hebrew, “Hebrew” is ‘ibrî, which literally means “immigrant” or “one from the other side” (of the River Euphrates) … which, given the similarities in name, seems to apply to Abraham, who immigrated from Ur, to Haran, to the land God promised to his descendents.

    In Hebrew, “Israel” is yiśrā’ēl, which means “God has striven” or “God has saved” … although some translate it as “struggled with God,” a reference to Jacob’s wrestling match.

    Best,
    Kevin

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