At that time Rezin king of Syria recovered Elath to Syria, and drave the Jews from Elath: and the Syrians came to Elath, and dwelt there unto this day. (2 Kings 16:6)
Heb. Yehudim, from Yehudah (Judah), one of the 12 sons of Jacob. This is the first occurrence of the word in the Scriptures. The term is applied at first only to the citizens of the southern kingdom of Judah. After the captivity it is used to designate all who returned to Palestine irrespective of tribal affiliations (Ezra 4:12; Neh. 1:2). By the time of the Christian Era the name comprehends any descendant of Jacob (Matt. 2:2).