Who was Israelite leader first?

Answer 1

The first Israelite was Jacob when God changed his name from from 'Jacob' to 'Israel':-) which meant a person who struggles with god

Gen 32:24-28 KJV And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day. [v. 25] And when he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint, as he wrestled with him. [v. 26] And he [God] said, Let me go, for the day breaketh. And he [Jacob] said, I will not let thee go, except thou bless me. [v. 27] And he [God] said unto him, What is thy name? And he said, Jacob. [v. 28] And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.

This was in 1690BC [Setterfield] or 1710BC [Ussher], so in round terms it would be 1700BC - much earlier than the Exodus of the 12 tribes from Egypt in 1446BC.

Answer 2

A:Biblical tradition says that God changed Jacob's name to Israel. His sons were the first 'sons of Israel' and therefore the first Israelites. Their descendants founded the nation of Israel.

History is somewhat different. Historians now say that the first Israelites were Canaanites who left the region of the rich coastal cities shortly before 1200 BCE, and migrated peacefully into the hitherto sparsely populated Canaanite hinterland. There was no military conquest of Canaan, or even of the hinterland that was to become the homeland of the Israelites, but this legend arose long after the people had forgotten their true origins.

Answer 3

If you want to consider only leaders who came after the term "Israelites" was coined,

then it would be Jacob. But Abraham and then Isaac headed up the family before Jacob.

Answer 4

Jacob, the ancestor of the Israelites. God changed his name from Jacob to Israel (Genesis ch.35). According to tradition, this was in 1553 BCE.