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In the Old Testament we read about Israel. Who exactly was Israel?

Israel is a term given to Jacob, then to his physical descendants the twelve tribes’ sons of Jacob. The term Israelites was given to the twelve tribes from the time they had left Egypt until after the death of Saul, but after their defection, the ten tribes claimed to themselves the name of the whole nation, Israel, i.e., the Northern Kingdom, in contrast with Judah, the Southern Kingdom (2 Sam 2:9-10,17,28; 3:10,17; 1 Kg 12:1; etc.). The kings of the ten tribes were called kings of Israel, and the descendants of David, who ruled over Judah and Benjamin, were known as kings of Judah; Yet in the Holy Book of Isaiah 8:14 the two kingdoms are called the "houses of Israel."