israel

3 definitions found

israel - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Jacob \Ja"cob\, n. [Cf. F. Jacob. See 2d Jack.]
     A Hebrew patriarch (son of Isaac, and ancestor of the Jews),
     who in a vision saw a ladder reaching up to heaven (--Gen.
     xxviii. 12); -- also called Israel.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           And Jacob said . . . with my staff I passed over this
           Jordan, and now I am become two bands.   --Gen. xxxii.
                                                    9, 10.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel.
                                                    --Gen. xxxii.
                                                    28.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Jacob's ladder.
     (a) (Bot.) A perennial herb of the genus Polemonium
         (Polemonium c[oe]ruleum), having corymbs of drooping   flowers, usually blue. Gray
         .
     (b) (Naut.) A rope ladder, with wooden steps, for going
         aloft. --R. H. Dana, Jr.
     (c) (Naut.) A succession of short cracks in a defective spar.
         
  
     Jacob's membrane. See Retina.
  
     Jacob's staff.
     (a) A name given to many forms of staff or weapon, especially
         in the Middle Ages; a pilgrim's staff. [Obs.] --Spenser.
     (b) (Surveying) See under Staff.
         [1913 Webster]

israel - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Israel
      n 1: Jewish republic in southwestern Asia at eastern end of
           Mediterranean; formerly part of Palestine [syn: Israel,
           State of Israel, Yisrael, Zion, Sion]
      2: an ancient kingdom of the Hebrew tribes at the southeastern
         end of the Mediterranean Sea; founded by Saul around 1025 BC
         and destroyed by the Assyrians in 721 BC

israel - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Israel
  the name conferred on Jacob after the great prayer-struggle at
  Peniel (Gen. 32:28), because "as a prince he had power with God
  and prevailed." (See JACOB.) This is the common name
  given to Jacob's descendants. The whole people of the twelve
  tribes are called "Israelites," the "children of Israel" (Josh.
  3:17; 7:25; Judg. 8:27; Jer. 3:21), and the "house of Israel"
  (Ex. 16:31; 40:38).
  
    This name Israel is sometimes used emphatically for the true
  Israel (Ps. 73:1: Isa. 45:17; 49:3; John 1:47; Rom. 9:6; 11:26).
  
    After the death of Saul the ten tribes arrogated to themselves
  this name, as if they were the whole nation (2 Sam. 2:9, 10, 17,
  28; 3:10, 17; 19:40-43), and the kings of the ten tribes were
  called "kings of Israel," while the kings of the two tribes were
  called "kings of Judah."
  
    After the Exile the name Israel was assumed as designating the
  entire nation.