Time for your daily lesson:
The term “Israel” first appears in the Bible in Genesis 32:28, where Jacob is renamed “Israel” after wrestling with a divine being. This is in the context of the patriarchal narratives, traditionally dated to around 2000–1800 BCE, though the text itself was likely compiled much later, possibly between the 10th and 5th centuries BCE.
The name “Israel” then applies to the descendants of Jacob, forming the “children of Israel” or the Israelite people, rather than a state in the modern sense.
The concept of a political entity called Israel, as a kingdom, first emerges in the Bible with the united monarchy under Saul, David, and Solomon, described in 1 Samuel to 2 Chronicles, traditionally dated to around 1050–930 BCE. The earliest extra-biblical mention of “Israel” is the Merneptah Stele (c. 1208 BCE), which refers to a people, not a state, in the region of Canaan.So, while “Israel” as a name appears in Genesis, the notion of a state-like entity is first detailed in the biblical narrative around the 11th century BCE with the monarchy.
You’re welcome.