Israel (ancient kingdom)

Ancient kingdom of northern Palestine, formed after the death of Solomon by Jewish peoples seceding from the rule of his son Rehoboam and electing Jeroboam as their leader.

It is named after the descendants of the Old Testament patriarch Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. Jews believe that the land of Israel was given to them forever by God when he brought them out of Egypt under Moses' guidance. The name is therefore sometimes used to refer to the Jews themselves, as in ‘the people of Israel’ or, in the context of biblical times, ‘Israelites’.