What is…
Judea

also known as: Judaea Judah, Jewry

Hebrew: יְהיּד —transliteration: Yehud

Greek: Ἰουδαία —transliteration: Ioudaia —meaning: Judea, a Roman province

Hebrew: יְהוּדָה —transliteration: Yehudah —meaning: probably “praised,” name of a son of Jacob, and the name of Judah’s descendants, and the Kingdom of Judah

After the Captivity, this name was applied to the whole of the country west of the Jordan (Hag. 1:1, 14; 2:2). But under the Romans, in the time of Christ, it denoted the southernmost of the three divisions of Israel (Matthew 2:1, 5; 3:1; 4:25), although it was also sometimes used for Israel generally (Acts 28:21).

The province of Judea, as distinguished from Galilee and Samaria, included the territories of the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, Dan, Simeon, and part of Ephraim.

Under the Romans, it was a part of the province of Syria, and was governed by a procurator.

More information

Article Version: July 1, 2021