Hebrews

Hebrew origin

The Hebrews are the people of Israel in Egypt; in Exodus 2 Pharaoh's daughter recognises Moses as a Hebrew child, and Moses intervenes when an Egyptian strikes a Hebrew kinsman.

Meaning
Occupation
First mention
Exodus 1:15

Scripture references

  • Exodus 1:15

    The king of Egypt then spoke to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was called Shiphrah, and the other Puah.

  • Exodus 1:16

    'When you attend Hebrew women in childbirth,' he said, 'look at the two stones. If it is a boy, kill him; if a girl, let her live.'

  • Exodus 1:19

    The midwives said to Pharaoh, 'Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women, they are hardy and give birth before the midwife can get to them.'

  • Exodus 2:6

    She opened it and saw the child: the baby was crying. Feeling sorry for it, she said, 'This is one of the little Hebrews.'

  • Exodus 2:7

    The child's sister then said to Pharaoh's daughter, 'Shall I go and find you a nurse among the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?'

  • Exodus 2:11

    It happened one day, when Moses was grown up, that he went to see his kinsmen. While he was watching their forced labour he also saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his kinsmen.

  • Exodus 2:13

    On the following day he came back, and there were two Hebrews, fighting. He said to the man who was in the wrong, 'What do you mean by hitting your kinsman?'