JEW OR JUDAH? - Judah, Yehudi, Ioudaios

Songs created from Bible Studies

Jew or Judah? https://www.thinkoutsidethebeast.com/jew-or-judah/

JEW OR JUDAH? – Judah, Yehudi, Ioudaios by Bro H

Verse 1 When Solomon's kingdom was divided The Scriptures drew a line The House of Israel in the north The House of Judah in its time Samaria held the northern tribes Jerusalem the Davidic throne Two houses in the sacred record Though both from Jacob's seed had grown The prophets spoke of Israel The prophets spoke of Judah too The writers made distinctions And expected readers to Pre-Chorus A kingdom is not a province A province is not a land A land is not a people Unless the context gives command Chorus Who is the writer speaking of? That's the question to ask A tribe, a land, a people, a kingdom? Context does the task The Hebrews wrote Yehudi The Greeks wrote Ioudaios The Romans wrote Iudaeus As centuries came and went The writers used distinctions And left them on the page The words belong to history And every word its age Verse 2 A Judahite was of the kingdom The House of Judah by descent The sons of David ruled in Zion Where Judah's generations went But Babylon brought desolation Jerusalem was overthrown The kingdom fell beneath the empire Yet Judah's memory carried on The Persians called the province Yehud A smaller land around the throne The name had changed through administration Yet Judah's roots remained its own Chorus Who is the writer speaking of? That's the question to ask A tribe, a land, a people, a kingdom? Context does the task The Hebrews wrote Yehudi The Greeks wrote Ioudaios The Romans wrote Iudaeus As centuries came and went The writers used distinctions And left them on the page The words belong to history And every word its age Verse 3 Then Alexander's heirs brought Greek rule And Yehud became Judea The language changed, the maps were altered But history remained familiar The Greeks would write Ioudaios A word with more than one layer shown A people and a land still connected A nation and ancestral home Before expansion changed the picture Before new lines were brought within The ancient record spoke more plainly Of Judah and her kith and kin Pre-Chorus A language is not a nation A nation is not a tribe A tribe is not a province Though all may meet upon a line Verse 4 South of Judah stood Idumea The land once linked to Mount Seir The house of Esau's generations Whose history remained clear For centuries they stood distinguished Judah here and Edom there Different fathers, different nations Different stories they would bear Then Hasmonean power expanded As Hyrcanus enlarged his reign And Idumea was incorporated Into Judea's growing frame Chorus Who is the writer speaking of? That's the question to ask A tribe, a land, a people, a kingdom? Context does the task The Hebrews wrote Yehudi The Greeks wrote Ioudaios The Romans wrote Iudaeus As centuries came and went The writers used distinctions And left them on the page The words belong to history And every word its age Verse 5 So when we read the ancient record We should not assume what’s been repeatedly said Nor force a later understanding Upon the words we've always read Abraham was called a Hebrew Israel came from Jacob's name Judah came from Judah's kingdom Each does not mean Jew in anyway The Scriptures speak with precision The writers were not being vague The names were given for a reason And still remain upon the page Bridge The Hebrews wrote Yehudi The Greeks wrote Ioudaios The Romans wrote Iudaeus As centuries came and went Then English wrote one simple word Where older tongues held more And many of the ancient lines Grew blurred from who they once were for Kingdoms changed Languages changed Borders changed with time But careful readers still must ask Is this Jacob or Esau’s line? Final Chorus Who is the writer speaking of? That's the question to ask A tribe, a land, a people, a kingdom? Context does the task The Hebrews wrote Yehudi The Greeks wrote Ioudaios The Romans wrote Iudaeus As centuries came and went Ancient writers used distinctions And left them on the page Read the words as they were written And hear them in their age Read the words as they were written And you will not be betrayed.