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ihodit
יהודית
'Ihodit', (sometimes pronounced 'Yehudit') is derived from ihodeh, (the nation of the people of Ihoh) and means “a member of the nation of the people of Ihoh”. The word construction parallels that of other nationalities referred to within the texts, such as the Canaanites, Jebusites, etc, where the “ite” suffix signifies “a person from <the root word>”. The term “Israelite” is another such example, and one which overlaps with Ihodite.
It is typically translated “Judah” or more correctly “Judean”, and essentially refers to Jews beginning in the kingdom period, particularly those in the northern kingdom.
Interestingly, the first instance of the word appears in Genesis 26:34, as the proper name of Esau's wife, יהודית daughter of Beeri the Hittite. Typically, this is translated as “Judith” but make no mistake that it is indeed the same word that is later applied to the Jews in general. Keep in mind the relationship between Esau and the tribes of Israel. Esau was the brother of Jacob, whose sons became the twelve tribes. Therefore Esau can be considered the “uncle of the twelve tribes”, which make “Judith” the “aunt of the twelve tribes”.
that this occurred two generations before the time of “Judah” son of Jacob. Is it possible that Esau's wife was the first Jew?
and also Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite. 35 They were a source of grief to Isaac and Rebekah.
LexID 3066