Hebrews

The Hebrews were the ancestors of the Israelites, traditionally descended from Abraham. The term “Hebrew” (Ivri) may derive from Eber, an ancestor of Abraham, or from the word meaning “one who crosses over.”

Abraham is first called a Hebrew in Genesis 14:13. The term is often used in the early biblical narratives, particularly during the Egyptian sojourn, before “Israelite” becomes the predominant designation.