Ἰουδά
Ioudá
G2448
SILEX Entry
Definition
Ἰουδά refers to 'Judah,' either as a proper name (the ancestor of one of the Israelite tribes), a territorial designation (the region or territory associated with that tribe), or occasionally a location (a town known as Juttah). Its primary sense identifies the eponymous ancestor of the tribe of Judah or the territory allotted to his descendants. Contextually, it may designate the southern kingdom after the division of the monarchy, or a specific locality within Judea in later texts. In rare instances in Greek texts, Ἰουδά designates a geographical site. The term can denote the tribe, the person, or the place depending on context.
Semantic Range
eponymous ancestor of a tribe, the tribe itself, the territory allotted to the tribe, the southern kingdom after the division, specific town (Juttah) in geographic references
Root / Etymology
The word is derived from the Hebrew יְהוּדָה (Yehudah), the name of the fourth son of Jacob and Leah and his descendants. In some LXX passages and Greek geographical references, it is also used as a transliteration for the town יֻטָּה (Yuttah/Juttah in Joshua 15:55). Ultimately, the name Yehudah likely means 'praised' or 'celebrated' (see Genesis 29:35); etymology from the Hebrew verbal root ידה (yadah, 'to praise').
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Septuagint, Ἰουδά is primarily used to render the Hebrew יְהוּדָה (Yehudah), whether as the patriarch, the tribe, or the territory. In historical and genealogical lists, it can function as a personal name (e.g., the son of Jacob). After the division of the united monarchy of Israel, Ἰουδά (Judah) distinguishes the southern kingdom from the northern (Israel/Ephraim). In the Hellenistic and Roman periods, Ἰουδά sometimes appears as a geographic term. The form Ἰουδή (Ioudē) is used more often for the territory (i.e., Judea), while Ἰουδά as a proper noun is often kept for personal or tribal names. In English translation tradition, 'Judah' is standard, but the underlying sense may be more specific: person, people-group, or region. Occasionally, the Greek word stands for the town Juttah, and this must be determined by context (e.g., Joshua 15:55 LXX). The form is a direct transliteration, not a Greek etymological development.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Hebrew origin (יְהוּדָה or perhaps יֻטָּה); Judah (i.e. Jehudah or Juttah), a part of (or place in) Palestine:--Judah.
Word Forms
0 distinct forms
No word forms found for this Strong's number.
Occurrences in Scripture
0 occurrences
No occurrences found.